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COMMUNITY    CIVICS 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK   •    BOSTON    •    CHICAGO  •    DALLAS 
ATLANTA   •    SAN    FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  Limited 

LONDON  •  BOMBAY  -  CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OF  CANADA,  Ltd. 

TORONTO 


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COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


BY 


JESSIE    FIELD 

FORMERLY  SUPERINTENDENT  OF  SCHOOLS,  PAGE  COUNTY,  IOWA 
AUTHOR  OF  "  THE  CORN  LADY  " 

AND 

SCOTT    NEARING 

PROFESSOR   OF   SOCIAL  SCIENCE,   TOLEDO   UNIVERSITY 

AUTHOR   OF   "  INCOME,"   "  SOCIAL  ADJUSTMENT  " 
ETC. 


"Ntixs  gorft 

THE    MACMILLAN    COMPANY 
1916 

All  rights  reserved 


Copyright,  1916, 
By  the  MACMILLAN   COMPANY. 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.     Published  January,  1916. 


NoTtoooti  VtrsB 

J.  S.  Gushing  Co.  —  Berwick  &  Smith  Co. 

Norwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


HT 

PREFACE 

Schools  are  the  lab"oratory  for  our  democracy.  Peo- 
ple have  a  right  to  expect  that  our  public  schools  should 
train  their  children  for  good  citizenship.  To  be  a  good 
citizen  means,  first  of  all,  to  be  willing  and  able  to  take 
part  intelligently  in  the  affairs  of  one's  own  community. 
To  train  such  citizens,  civics  must  be  taught  to  children 
in  the  terms  of  their  own  lives.  It  must  be  real.  It 
must  connect  with  the  affairs  with  which  they  are  familiar 
in  their  town  or  neighborhood. 

That  is  why  this  book  on  Community  Civics  has  been 
written.  It  brings  to  boys  and  girls  in  the  country, — 
to  those  who  are  away  from  cities,  to  those  who  are 
living  in  towns  that  are  the  center  of  country  interests, 
and  to  those  living  on  farms,  —  at  the  time  when  they 
are  forming  their  civic  ideals,  the  problems  that  are  being 
met  in  their  own  communities. 

When  these  boys  and  girls  see  their  part  in  making 
their  community  life  all  it  can  be,  they  will  not  be  satis- 
fied with  poor  roads,  a  low  rate  of  production  per  acre, 
a  school  that  is  inefficient,  or  a  lack  of  community  co- 
operation. Nothing  else  will  so  surely  bring  to  them  an 
appreciation  of  the  opportunities  of  the  country  and  a 
desire  to  invest  their  lives  as  citizens  of  such  communities. 


vi  PREFACE 

The  authors  of  this  book  hope  that  it  may  help  many 
teachers  of  one-room  country  schools,  consolidated  and 
township  schools  and  of  schools  in  towns  that  are  closely 
related  to  country  interests,  to  give  to  their  pupils  defi- 
nite instruction  in  the  kind  of  civics  that  will  make  them 
some  day  better  citizens  in  a  live  country  community. 


INTRODUCTION 

Rural  community  building  is  the  greatest  social  task 
which  now  confronts  America.  We  are  just  emerging 
from  the  pioneer  stage  in  our  national  life.  The  great 
shifting  wave  of  population  which  has  been  moving  stead- 
ily westward  for  two  hundred  years  has  beaten  against 
the  shores  of  the  Pacific  and  is  now  settling  back  into 
the  abandoned  fields  and  open  spaces  with  some  promise 
of  stability.  The  virgin  resources  in  soil  and  forest  which 
tempted  the  exploiter  have  been  largely  exhausted  and 
man  must  now  invest  his  time,  his  energy,  and  his  in- 
telligence in  order  to  receive  dividends  from  the  earth. 
This  means  a  greater  interval  between  work  and  reward, 
higher  and  more  stable  prices  for  farm  products,  and  a 
tendency  to  permanent  residence  in  the  country. 

The  tremendous  development  of  industrial  life  during 
the  past  three  decades  has  restored  the  equilibrium  be- 
tween the  farm  and  the  workshop  and  has  neutralized  the 
economic  pull  toward  the  city.  The  steadily  increasing 
cost  of  farm  products  has  awakened  an  universal  interest 
in  the  farmers'  welfare  which  is  thoroughly  genuine  if 
not  wholly  altruistic.  External  conditions  are  remark- 
ably favorable  to  the  development  of  a  more  satisfying 
country  life  in   America.     We   have  reached   the  point 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

when  prosperity  and  happiness  in  the  country  depend 
on  the  attitude  of  the  farmer  toward  his  own  work  and 
on  community  organization  for  the  attainment  of  attain- 
able social  ends. 

The  new  generation  of  farm  boys  and  girls  are  begin- 
ning to  see  a  new  beauty  in  the  |?lue  skies  and  the 
growing  things  of  the  open  country  ;  they  are  acquiring 
a  deeper  understanding  of  the  significance  of  country 
activities  in  the  common  life  of  humanity.  With  a  con- 
ception of  the  inter-relations  of  the  country  community 
there  comes  a  growing  capacity  for  cooperation  and  lead- 
ership which  is  breaking  down  the  intense  individualism 
of  pioneer  times. 

This  new  attitude  comes  from  an  intimate  knowledge 
of  one's  own  community.  The  love  of  home,  school, 
neighborhood,  and  county  will  easily  expand  into  the 
larger  patriotism  which  will  include  State,  Nation,  and 
humanity. 

In   the   chapters   which   follow.   Miss    Field   and    Dr. 

Nearing  have  presented  the  spirit  and  the  essential  facts 

of  good  citizenship  in  a  vital   and   interesting   manner. 

If  the  boys  and  girls  of  America  will  catch   the  spirit 

of  the  authors  and  will   do  the  things  suggested  in  this 

volume,  we  shall  have  a  generation  of  rural  community 

builders. 

W.  K.  TATE. 

George  Peabody  College  for  Teachers, 
Nashville,  Tennessee. 


CONTENTS 


I.  Country  Boys  and  Girls       .  .  , 

II.  The  Institutions  of  Country  Life 

III.  Country  Life  Ideals     .... 

IV.  The  Country  Home      .... 
V.  The  Art  of  Home   Making  . 

VI.  The  Home  as  the  Center  of  Family  Life 

VII.  The  Home  as  a  Spirit  of  Fellowship     . 

VIII.  The  Home  and  the  Neighborhood 

IX.  The  School  Home 

X.  Good  Books  and  Good  Reading 

XI.  Learning  Teamwork   at  School 

XII.  The  School  and  the  Community 

XIII.  School  Work  and  Home  Life 

XIV.  Citizenship  and  Country  Life 
XV.  The  Country  Community  and  its  Officials 

XVI.  The  Country  as  Life  Giver  to  the  World 

XVII.  The     Country     Community's     Work     for     Greater 
Production    ...... 

XVIII.  The  Country  Community's  Gains  through  Cooper 
ation    ....... 

XIX.  The  Country  Community's  Work  for   Good   Roads 


PAGE 
I 

12 

22 

31 
42 

58 
67 

n 
90 

103 

113  ^ 
124  ^ 
141  «^ 
151  • 
163 
174 

184 

199 
21 1 


X  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PACK 

XX.  The  Country  Community's  Work  for  Good  Health     220 

XXI.  The  Nation  as  a  Community  .  .  .  .231 

XXII.  Managing  National  Affairs  .  .  .   "       .  .      243 

XXIII.  Country  Life  and  National  Life  ....      254 


COMMUNITY    CIVICS 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

CHAPTER   I 
Country  Boys  and  Girls 

I.  The  Country  Offers  Many  Chances  to  the  Boys 
and  Girls  Who  Live  in  It.  —  A  great  man  once  said 
that  in  thinking  of  all  that  had  come  to  him  in  his 
life,  he  believed  that  the  chance  to  grow  up  in  the 
country  was  his  richest  heritage. 

The  country  offers  a  chance  to  learn  much  of  the 
beauty  and  truth  and  strength  of  the  real  things  of 
life.  There  are  beautiful  wild  flowers  on  the  way  to 
school.  The  soft  greens  of  the  alfalfa  field  and  the 
old  oak  in  the  pasture  wait  for  us  as  we  go  for  the 
cows  in  the  evening.  And  everywhere,  we  read 
not  only  a  lesson  of  beautiful  things,  but  also  a  lesson 
of  steadfastness  and  strength.  If  stones  are  thrown 
into  the  brook  to  stop  it,  it  flows  right  over  them 
with  greater  strength  than  before,  and  adds  to  its 
strength  a  song.  Plants  burst  the  seed  cases  and 
push  up  through  the  dark  soil  to  the  light.  Every- 
where through  the  country,  for  those  who  have 
learned  to  see  and  understand,  are  lessons  which 
point  toward  the  richness  and  strength  of  life. 


2  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

Country  boys  and  girls  have  a  chance  to  grow 
because  they  know  the  people  .ground  them  so  well. 
It  is  not  unusual  in  the  city  for  people  who  live  in 
the  same  building  to  be  entire  strangers.  But  in 
the  country,  one  is  apt  to  know  every  one  who  lives 
for  several  miles  around  —  the  fathers  and  mothers 


One  is  apt  to  know  every  one  who  lives  for  several  miles  around. 

and  the  grandfathers  and  grandmothers  and  the  hired 
men  and  the  little  children.  Boys  and  girls  in  the 
country  know  when  the  neighbor's  bees  swarm  ;  how 
many  chickens  they  raise  ;  and  whether  they  can 
bake  good  cookies.  They  know,  too,  where  the 
best  apple  trees  grow  and  what  people  have  the 
kindest  hearts.  And  before  they  are  very  old,  every 
country  boy  and  girl  learns  the  law  of  the  country 


COUNTRY   BOYS  AND  GIRLS  3 

road  —  that  a  lighter  load  always  gives  the  whole 
road  for  a  heavier  one. 

So  while  the  country  might  not,  at  first  thought, 
seem  the  place  where  there  is  the  best  chance  to  grow 
through  knowing  other  people,  it  does  offer  a  big 
chance  for  the  kind  of  everyday  neighborliness  which 
counts  for  so  much  in  life. 

2.  Country  Boys  and  Girls  Should  Know  Their 
Surroundings.  —  Although  there  are  such  great 
chances  for  growth  through  the  surroundings  in 
the  country,  there  are  many  people  who  are  blind 
to  its  beauty,  deaf  to  its  music,  and  unconscious  of 
the  interesting  people  who  surround  them.  Two 
boys  grew  up  in  a  neighborhood  where  there  were 
masses  of  goldenrod  every  fall.  They  both  passed 
by  it  when  they  were  going  to  school.  They  could 
see  its  sunshiny  blossoms  from  the  fields  where  they 
husked  corn,  and  it  grew  on  the  edges  of  the  timber 
where  they  went  nutting  together.  When  they  were 
young  men,  one  of  them  was  asked  to  get  some 
goldenrod  for  decorations  for  a  party,  and  he  asked  : 
"  What  kind  of  flower  is  it .?  What  does  it  look  like  ^ 
I  shouldn't  know  what  to  pick." 

*'  Why,  ask  Tom,"  the  girls  said,  "  he  knows 
every  kind  of  flower  and  tree  that  grows  around 
here."  And  sure  enough,  the  other  young  man 
knew  forty-two  kinds  of  goldenrod  that  grew  in 
that  vicinity.  Yet  he  had  had  no  better  chance 
to   know   about    goldenrod    than    the    young    man 


4  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

who  did  not  even  know  what  it  was  when  he 
saw  it. 

It  is  only  when  we  do  not  know  our  surroundings 
in  the  country  that  we  are  apt  to  think  there  are 
other  places  which  have  more  life  and  light  and 
beauty.  The  way  to  learn  about  things  is  to  use, 
every  day,  all  the  powers  we  have  for  securing  knowl- 
edge. Then  the  more  we  know  about  any  definite 
thing,  the  greater  our  interest  becomes.  It  is  be- 
cause it  makes  the  world  so  much  bigger  and  more 
wonderful  and  interesting  that  every  one  should 
study  his  surroundings. 

3.  The  Country  Calls  for  the  Love  and  Loyalty  of 
Those  Who  Live  in  It.  —  When  we  have  started  to 
learn  something  of  the  life  that  is  around  us  on  every 
side  in  the  country,  an  appreciation  of  it  comes  to  us. 
Then  there  are  added  the  joy  and  gladness  of  the 
freedom  and  reality  of  the  country  and  its  great  open 
places  where  there  is  room  to  grow,  and  we  under- 
stand what  the  Wisconsin  girl  meant  who  said,  when 
she  was  asked  if  she  lived  in  the  country :  "  Yes,  I 
am  a  country  girl,  and  I  am  proud  of  it." 

In  one  county  all  the  boys  and  girls  wrote  composi- 
tions on  the  subject,  "  Country  Life  —  Why  I  Like 
It."  There  were  many  very  good  reasons  given  for 
liking  the  country.  A  boy  wrote  :  "  I  like  to  live  in 
the  country  because  you  can  do  whatever  you  please 
and  it  doesn't  bother  any  one.  You  can  whistle 
and  sing  as  loud  as  you  wish  and  no  one  cares.     I 


COUNTRY  BOYS  AND  GIRLS 


milk  three  cows  every  morning  before  breakfast, 
and  in  fact,  it  seems  to  me  as  though  the  louder  I 
whistle  the  more  milk  those  cows  give." 

Young  people  are  seeing  now,  too,  the  great  op- 
portunities there  are  for  scientific  farming  and  for 
making  up-to-date  homes  in  the  country.  In  fact, 
it  is  a  great  thing  to 
live  in  the  country 
these  days  when  new 
things  are  coming  so 
fast,  and  when  there 
are  such  widened  priv- 
ileges for  living  in  a 
worthwhile  way. 

Those  who  know  the 
country  and  who  love 
it  believe  that  nothing 
is  too  good  for  country 
people.  This  is  the 
kind  of  loyalty  which 
will  be  in  the  heart  of 
every  young  person  in 
the  country  who  un- 
derstands its  possibii-   "  ^'''  ^  ^"^ "  ^°7yr  t'^>  ^"^  I  ^"^ 

^  proud  or  it. 

ities. 

4.  The  Country  Needs  Leaders.  —  When  a  country 
boy  or  girl  is  planning  to  make  a  life  that  will  be  of 
help  to  the  world,  he  should  consider  the  needs  of 
his  own  neighborhood  and  think  of  the  chance  for 


6  COMMUNITY   CIVICS 

leadership  there.  In  many  neighborhoods  famiHes 
have  moved  away,  renting  their  farms,  and  the  young 
people,  failing  to  see  and  know  their  surroundings, 
have  gone  to  cities,  until  there  is  no  one  left  to  see 
what  can  be  done  and  to  show  how  to  do  it. 

If  these  leaders  of  country  life  are  to  be  really  of 
the  greatest  use,  they  must  be  a  part  of  the  neighbor- 
hood. That  is  why  this  need  for  country  leadership 
is  of  real  interest  to  country  boys  and  girls.  The 
roads  need  to  be  made  good  —  and  who  is  there  to  go 
ahead  and  see  that  they  are  dragged  ?  The  school 
needs  a  new  heating  and  ventilating  plant  —  and 
who  has  the  courage  and  the  influence  to  get  people 
to  see  how  important  it  is  for  the  children  to  be 
comfortable  and  have  fresh  air  to  breathe  .? 

Sometimes  young  people  dream  of  great  things 
they  wish  to  do,  and  it  is  right  to  plan  for  making 
one's  life  count  for  the  very  most.  But  boys  and 
girls  who  live  in  the  country  can  remember  always 
that  there  is  a  great  need  and  a  chance  for  a  big  serv- 
ice through  leadership  near  at  hand. 

Once  a  prophet  asked  a  country  woman,  who  had 
been  very  hospitable  and  kind  to  him,  what  she  would 
like  to  have  for  her  kindness,  and  if  he  should  intro- 
duce her  to  the  king.  She  replied  :  "  No,  I  do  not 
care  to  meet  the  king.  Lo,  I  dwell  with  my  own 
people.'*  And  so  the  country  to-day  is  needing  boys 
and  girls  who  will  learn  what  it  means  to  give  of 
their  best  for  their  own  home  neighborhoods. 


COUNTRY  BOYS  AND  GIRLS  7 

5.  The  Country  Life  of  To-morrow  Depends  upon 
the  Country  Boys  of  To-day.  —  Perhaps  you  have 
sometimes  talked  with  your  grandfather  or  with  the 
oldest  person  who  lives  in  your  school  district,  and  he 
may  have  told  you  about  a  time  that  he  can  remember 
when   the   country  was  very  different.     You   have 


A  flail,  used  when  everything  had  to  be  done  by  hand. 

listened  to  the  stories  of  how  there  was  once  a  time 
when  there  were  no  reapers  nor  binders  nor  riding 
cultivators  and  steam  threshers  and  all  kinds  of 
wonderful  farm  machinery,  when  everything  had  to 
be  done  by  hand  with  scythes  and  flails  and  hoes. 
He  has  told  you  of  a  time  when  people  came  out 
across  the  United  States  in  covered  wagons  that  were 
called  *'  prairie  schooners  "  and  got  land  from  the 
government    by   homesteading.     And    then   he    has 


8  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

remarked  how  times  have  changed  in  the  country, 
for  that  same  land  would  sell  to-day  for  over  a  hun- 
dred dollars  an  acre  and  is  still  increasing  in  value. 

He  will  laugh  as  he  tells  of  the  first  telephone  and 
how  strange  people  thought  it  was,  and  how  people 
declared  that  rural  free  delivery  of  mail  never  would 
work,  and  later  how  they  thought  that  parcel  post 
could  not  be,  and  how  excited  every  one  was  over  the 
first  automobile,  and  how  now  they  are  so  common 
that  even  the  horses  are  not  afraid  of  them.  After 
you  have  talked  with  him  for  quite  a  while,  he  will 
say :  "  Yes,  the  country  has  changed  a  lot  since  I've 
been  living  in  it.  Many  things  have  happened. 
It's  getting  to  be  a  better  and  better  place  to  live. 
I  wonder  what  you  who  are  still  young  will  live  to 
see!" 

Then  comes  the  realization  that  whether  we  live 
to  see  a  wonderful  country  life,  fuller  and  finer  and 
better  than  anything  our  grandfathers  have  dreamed 
of,  will  depend  upon  those  who  are  boys  and  girls 
now.  It  is  not  cattle  nor  crops  nor  improved  farm 
machinery  that  make  country  communities  good 
places  in  which  to  live.  It  is  the  people  who  live 
there. 

Even  now,  as  boys  and  girls,  you  are  beginning  to 
share  in  what  the  neighborhood  is,  but  in  the  future 
this  responsibility  will  grow  greater  and  greater. 
Finally,  when  you  are  grown,  the  whole  burden  of 
leadership  will  fall  upon  some  of  you. 


COUNTRY   BOYS  AND  GIRLS  9 

There  are  people  who  love  the  open  country, 
who  have  caught  a  vision  of  a  time  when  there  will 
be  a  new  country  life,  when  every  acre  of  land  will 
produce  the  most  that  is  possible,  when  there  will 
be  better  ways  for  marketing  and  for  carrying  on 
the  business  of  the  farm,  when  every  man  will  own 
the  land  which  he  farms,  and  when  there  will  be  a 
chance  for  every  one  who  lives  along  country  roads 
to  get  the  best  that  there  is  in  life.  When  this  time 
comes,  people  will  not  be  thinking  of  their  own  selfish 
interests  first  but  they  will  unite  in  thinking  of  what 
is  best  for  the  good  of  every  one  who  lives  in  the 
neighborhood.  The  country  boys  and  girls  of  to-day 
will  have  a  chance  to  make  this  vision  for  the  country 
life  of  to-morrow  come  true. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  What  advantages  have  country  boys  and  girls.?  What 
lessons  can  they  learn  from  nature .?  from  people .? 

2.  Do  people  differ  in  their  knowledge  of  their  surroundings 
in  the  country  ? 

3.  Why  is  it  important  to  know  these  things  for  oneself.? 

4.  What  are  some  of  the  reasons  for  Hking  country  Hfe .? 

5.  When  are  leaders  needed  in  a  country  neighborhood  ? 

6.  Who  make  the  best  leaders  ? 

7.  What  should  a  country  boy  or  girl  consider  in  deciding 
what  to  do  ? 

8.  Make  a  list  of  the  ways  in  which  country  life  has  changed 
in  the  last  fifty  years. 

9.  What  brought  about  these  changes  .? 


lo  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

10.  Do  you  think  it  will  change  as  much  in  the  next  fifty 
years  ? 

11.  Upon  whom  does  the  future  development  of  the  country 
depend  ? 

12.  Describe  the  vision  of  the  country  life  of  the  future. 

13.  Who  can  make  this  vision  a  reality? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  list  of  the  reasons  why  you  are  glad  you  live  in  the 
country. 

II.  Write  a  letter  to  a  country  boy  persuading  him  to  stay 
in  the  country. 

III.  Write  a  letter  to  a  city  boy  urging  him  to  come  to  live  in 
the  country. 

IV.  What  did  you  see  on  your  way  to  school .'' 

V.  Of  the  things  which  you  saw,  what  did  you  like  best  ? 
Tell  why .'' 

VI.  Each  member  of  the  class  should  put  on  the  board  a  list 
of  ten  things  he  saw  on  the  way  to  school  Monday  morning. 
Keep  the  list  and  add  the  names  of  additional  things  seen  each 
day  during  the  remainder  of  the  week. 

VII.  Where  in  your  school  district  is  the  most  beautiful 
view  ?  the  finest  tree  ?  the  prettiest  flowers  ? 

VIII.  A  visitor  comes  to  your  house  who  is  anxious  to  see 
that  part  of  the  country,  (i)  Where  will  you  take  him .'' 
(2)  What  will  you  show  him  ?  (3)  What  will  you  tell  him 
about  the  most  interesting  places  in  the  neighborhood  ? 

IX.  Make  a  list  of  the  difi^erent  kinds  of  trees,  wild  flowers, 
and  birds  you  know. 

X.  Write  a  short  essay  on :  "  Interesting  People  in  Our 
Neighborhood,"  showing  how  many  kinds  of  people  live  in  it. 

XI.  Is  there  any  person  who  goes  ahead  with  planning  and 
carrying  out  things  in  your  neighborhood  ?     Who  is  president 


COUNTRY   BOYS  AND  GIRLS  ii 

of  the  school  board  ?     Who  is  the  representative  of  the  telephone 
line  ? 

XII.  Write  a  short  story  about  the  most  successful  man  in 
your  community. 

XIII.  Write  a  story  about  the  most  successful  woman  in 
your  community,  telling  particularly  what  she  has  done  for 
people  outside  of  her  own  home, 

XIV.  When  was  the  first  telephone  started  in  your  school 
district  ?  the  first  rural  mail  route  ?  the  first  automobile  ? 

XV.  What  improved  machinery  is  used  in  your  home  ?  on 
your  farm  ? 

XVI.  List  the  changes  and  improvements  which  you  have 
seen  in  your  neighborhood  in  the  last  five  years. 

XVII.  Write  a  brief  prophecy  about  your  home  neighbor- 
hood as  you  believe  it  will  be  in  ten  years  from  now,  stating  the 
changes  you  think  there  will  be:  (i)  In  the  homes.  (2)  In 
the  school.  (3)  In  the  roads.  (4)  In  the  church.  (5)  In 
the  organizations  of  people.     (6)  In  the  methods  of  farming. 


CHAPTER   II  • 
The  Institutions  of  Country  Life 

I.  The  Country  Develops  through  its  Institu- 
tions. —  Wherever  a  number  of  people  live  near 
each  other,  there  are  ways  in  which  they  unite  for 
development  and  helpfulness.  We  call  these  organi- 
zations that  belong  to  every  one  the  community  insti- 
tutions. First  and  most  important  of  these  institu- 
tions in  the  country  is  the  country  home.  Then 
there  is  the  country  school,  which  has  been  established 
to  train  boys  and  girls  for  life.  In  many  places  there 
is  the  country  church,  which  brings  to  people  the 
opportunity  for  worship. 

Besides  these  three  institutions,  which  are  the 
most  fundamental  ones  and  which  are  found  almost 
everywhere,  there  are  other  organizations  which  have 
influence  in  many  places.  There  are  Farmers' 
Clubs,  Granges,  and  Farmers'  Institutes.  There  are 
Home  Economic  Clubs,  Boys'  Corn  Clubs,  and  Girls' 
Tomato  Clubs.  There  are  literary  societies  and  co- 
operative  creameries   and   citrus   fruit   associations. 

All  these  agencies  are  bringing  country  people  to- 
gether to  consider  their  common  needs  and  interests 


THE   INSTITUTIONS  OF  COUNTRY  LIFE     13 

and  are  helping  to  build  up  country  life  and  make  the 
country  a  better  place  in  which  to  live. 

Country  boys  and  girls  should  be  interested  in  all 
of  these  institutions.  They  should  know  especially 
well  the  various  institutions  that  are  found  in  their 
own  home  neighborhood,  and  study  how  these  can 
be  made  of  the  greatest  use  to  the  people  living  there. 


A  Typical  Country  Home. 

2.  The  Institutions  of  Country  Life  Should  Serve 
the  Needs  of  Country  People.  —  Sometime  you  may 
have  passed  a  strange-looking  farmhouse,  very  high 
and  very  narrow,  which  looked  as  though  it  had  to 
be  built  to  take  up  the  least  possible  ground  space. 
Looking  at  the  sweep  of  the  yard  around  it,  you 
have  wondered  why  it  was  built  in  this  way.  The 
trouble  was  that  the  people  who  built  it  took  the 
plan  for  a  city  house,  and  in  the  city  they  have  to 
make  the  most  use  of  every  square  foot  of  ground. 


14  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

But  this  city  house  set  down  out  in  the  midst  of  the 
country,  where  there  is  plenty  of  room,  does  not  fit, 
and  looks  strangely  out  of  place. 

The  fact  is  that  imitations  are  never  good  things. 
We  need  to  plan  all  things  to  fit  the  place  where  they 
are  going  to  be  and  the  people  for  whom  they  are  to 
be  used. 

Country  institutions  must  be  planned  to  serve  the 
country  and  its  people.  In  Denmark  the  country 
homes  have  big  porches  with  long  benches  on  them, 
where  all  the  people  of  the  neighborhood  come  to- 
gether in  the  evening  to  sing  the  songs  they  love  at 
the  close  of  the  day's  work.  It  was  because  the 
country  people  there  cared  to  come  together  this  way 
in  the  evening  when  the  work  was  finished  that  the 
homes  were  built  to  meet  this  need. 

There  is  a  country  school  in  Missouri  where  the 
people  have  fitted  up  the  basement  with  a  swinging 
table  and  chairs  so  they  can  have  suppers  together 
there,  and  they  have  added  to  the  main  room  of  the 
school  a  workroom  for  the  boys  and  girls.  Another 
school  has  bought  five  acres  of  land  to  be  used  for 
gardens  and  for  an  agricultural  experiment  plot. 
The  people  did  these  things  for  their  schools  that  they 
might  better  serve  the  needs  of  the  district. 

Everywhere,  country  people  are  realizing  that  the 
institutions  which  belong  to  them  should  be  planned 
to  fit  the  country  and  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  people 
living  there. 


THE   INSTITUTIONS  OF  COUNTRY  LIFE     15 

3.  The  Strength  of  the  Institutions  of  Country 
Life  Depends  upon  the  Spirit  of  Working  Together.  — 

It  means  much  to  have  country  institutions  really 
meet  country  needs.  This  can  only  be  done,  how- 
ever, when  the  people  have  learned  how  to  unite  for 
the  common  good.  Very  often  country  institutions 
are  not  doing  the  great  work  that  is  possible  in  a  coun- 
try community  because  the  people  have  not  learned 
what  it  means  to  think  together  and  work  together. 

There  is  a  schoolhouse  in  New  York  State  that  is 
painted  like  a  checkerboard  in  large  gray  and  white 
squares.  The  reason  for  this,  the  oldest  man  in  the 
district  will  tell  you,  is  because  when  they  painted 
the  schoolhouse  half  the  people  thought  it  should  be 
painted  white  and  half  thought  it  should  be  painted 
gray,  and  so  this  compromise  was  decided  on.  The 
result  is  neither  artistic  nor  appropriate.  Often  this 
same  kind  of  divided  spirit  shows  itself.  Sometimes 
when  it  is  best  to  hire  a  good  teacher  and  keep  her  or 
to  put  in  perrrianent  concrete  culverts  or  to  plan  for 
contests  for  the  boys  and  girls,  this  same  lack  of 
united  effort  for  the  community  comes  up  and  the 
country  institutions  do  not  have  a  fair  chance  to  be 
of  service. 

Yet,  wherever  people  have  found  out  what  it 
means  to  work  together,  strong  and  lasting  country 
institutions  have  been  developed. 

4.  Country  People  Should  Always  Support  Their 
Institutions.  —  There  are  many  ways  in  which  the 


i6  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

country  and  towns  and  cities  must  work  together 
because  of  mutual  interests.  Yet  country  institu- 
tions cannot  live  and  grow  without  the  support  of 
country  people.  If  instead  of  building  up  the  best 
kind  of  school  out  in  their  own  district,  people  send 
their  children  to  town  to  school,  the  result  will  be 
weaker  schools  in  the  country. 

The  same  thing  is  true  of  good  times.  If  country 
people  go  to  town  for  all  their  pleasure,  they  cannot 
build  up  in  their  own  communities  the  neighborliness 
and  cooperation  which  result  from' having  good  times 
together,  and  learning  to  know  each  other  better. 
Then,  too,  they  are  apt  to  grow  to  like  the  town  or 
city  kind  of  good  time,  which  is  usually  the  kind 
some  one  is  paid  for  furnishing  to  us  instead  of  the 
kind  of  good  time  made  in  the  country,  where  all 
join  in  getting  up  the  good  time  for  themselves. 

For  instance,  there  is  more  real  fun  for  a  country 
boy  in  playing  on  a  baseball  nine  out  in  the  pasture 
of  a  near-by  farm  with  the  other  boys  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, than  in  going  to  the  city  and  paying  twenty- 
five  cents  to  get  into  the  fairgrounds  and  see  the 
team  that  is  hired  by  the  city  to  play.  And  there  is 
more  genuine  enjoyment  in  going  to  the  grove  near 
the  schoolhouse  for  a  Fourth  of  July  celebration, 
where  everyone  has  a  part  in  the  program,  than  there 
is  in  going  to  town,  standing  on  the  street  to  watch 
the  parade,  and  paying  five  cents  a  glass  for  pink 
lemonade  that  some  one  else  has  made.     Yet  since 


THE   INSTITUTIONS  OF  COUNTRY  LIFE     17 

it  is  easier  to  pay  people  to  amuse  us,  we  sometimes 
lose  our  taste  for  real  fun  as  we  learn  to  indulge  in 
the  other  kind. 

Some  people  say  that  the  reason  country  institu- 
tions in  some  neighborhoods  have  gone  down  is 
because  many  country  people  prefer  to  go  to  town 
to  school  and  church  since  they  have  automobiles. 


A  Country  Baseball  Nine. 

Many  country  people  see,  however,  that  their  own 
institutions  deserve  their  support.  Such  farmers 
are  saying :  "  I  could  send  my  children  into  town  to 
school.  But  we  have  a  good  school  out  here,  and 
we  are  making  it  better  all  the  time.  It  deserves 
and  needs  the  support  of  all  of  us  who  live  here." 

Country  institutions  can  only  develop  their  greatest 
strength  when  all  country  people  help  to  support  them. 

5.  The  Institutions  of  Country  Life  Are  Growing 
into  a  Larger  Place  of  Influence.  —  This  has  been 


i8 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


made  possible  because  they  are  facing  more  and 
more  ways  in  which  they  can  be  of  practical  and 
definite  service  to  the  community.  So  country 
schools  are  concerning  themselves  with  the  ways  in 
which  they  can  create  interest  among  the  pupils  in 
the  work    at    home.     In  many  places   these  schools 


The  schools  are  becoming  centers  where  all  the  people  come  together. 

are  becoming  centers  where  fathers  and  mothers 
and  all  the  people  come  together.  There  has  been 
found  practical  service,  such  as  testing  the  seed 
corn  and  the  milk  for  the  district,  which  the  schools 
can  do.  In  the  measure  in  which  country  schools 
have  in  this  way  been  of  real  use  in  the  community, 
they  have  grown  in  their  influence  with  the  people. 


THE  INSTITUTIONS  OF  COUNTRY  LIFE     19 

This  spirit  of  adapting  country  institutions  to 
country  needs  has  touched  not  only  schools  but 
every  other  institution,  and  always  it  has  resulted  in 
a  greater  support  for  the  institution  and  a  much 
larger  place  for  it.  People  always  respond  gladly  to 
any  country  institution  that  is  distinctly  and 
earnestly  facing  its  chance  for  helping  in  the  com- 
munity. 

The  place  of  influence  of  a  country  institution  is  as 
large  as  its  service  to  the  country  community  that 
supports  it. 

6.  Country  Institutions  of  the  Future  Will  Co- 
operate More  Closely  and  Serve  Larger  Communi- 
ties. —  The  best  results  can  always  be  obtained  when 
not  only  the  people  but  the  institutions  of  a  neighbor- 
hood work  together.  Only  a  beginning  has  been 
made  along  this  line.  Yet  those  who  are  thinking 
the  most  about  the  future  of  the  country  are  seeing 
that  for  the  greatest  efficiency  in  developing  the 
resources  of  a  community,  there  must  be  some  plan 
of  cooperation  between  institutions. 

There  is  gradually  coming,  too,  with  the  im- 
provement of  roads  and  the  quicker  methods  of 
transportation,  a  tendency  towards  larger  communi- 
ties. So  we  are  finding  an  increasing  number  of 
consolidated  schools  and  a  far  more  general  uniting 
of  country  people  by  township  and  county  organiza- 
tions. 

This  all  means  that  the  future  will  bring  more 


20  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

efficient  institutions  than  we  have  yet  known.  The 
boys  and  girls  in  the  country  to-day  are  the  ones 
who  will  bring  this  to  pass. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  Name  the  most  important  institutions  of  the  country. 

2.  What  are  some  of  the  other  groups  of  people  who  work 
for  the  good  of  the  community  ? 

3.  Why  should  the  institutions  of  country  life  be  different 
from  those  of  the  city  ? 

4.  Tell  some  ways  in  which  country  homes  can  fit  into  the 
needs  of  the  country. 

5.  How  can  country  schools  serve  the  community  ? 

6.  Upon  what  does  the  strength  of  country  institutions 
depend  ? 

7.  Give  reasons  why  country  people  should  support  their 
own  country  institutions. 

8.  What  is  the  difference  between  country  good  times  and 
city  good  times  ?     Which  do  you  prefer  ? 

9.  What  measures  the   influence  of  a  country  institution  ? 

10.  Explain  the  present  tendency  of  country  institutions  as 
related  to  each  other. 

11.  How  does  the  country  show  that  it  is  developing  larger 
communities  for  institutions  to  serve  ? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Draw  a  map  of  your  own  township,  showing  the  location 
of  the  schools,  the  churches,  the  town  hall,  grange  hall,  or  any 
other  buildings  owned  by  community  organizations. 

II.  Mark  the  homes  in  your  own  school  district  on  your  map. 

III.  Which  of  these  homes  have  children  in  school  ?  Which 
are  represented  in  organizations  and  associations  ? 


THE   INSTITUTIONS  OF  COUNTRY  LIFE     21 

IV.  Make  a  list  of  the  organizations  there  are  in  your  township. 

V.  What  institution  in  your  community  reaches  the  most 
people .'' 

VI.  Write  a  short  composition  on  this  institution,  explaining 
why  it  is  so  successful. 

VII.  What  are  the  reasons  for  its  success  .?  (i)  Has  it  good 
leadership  ?  (2)  Does  it  fill  a  greatly  felt  need  ?  (3)  Has  it 
been  built  up  gradually  or  slowly  ."*  (4)  Is  selfishness  or  neigh- 
borliness  its  animating  spirit  ? 

VIII.  Are  there  any  community  needs  for  which  no  institu- 
tion has  been  provided  ?  (i)  Make  a  list  of  the  needs,  if  you 
know  of  any.  (2)  What  institution  could  be  organized  to 
provide  for  them  ?  (3)  How  could  such  an  institution  be 
started  ?     (4)  Who  are  the  people  best  qualified  to  start  it  ? 

IX.  What  home  in  your  community  is  best  fitted  for  the 
needs  of  the  country?  (i)  As  to  its  building  and  equipment. 
(2)  As  to  its  eflficiency  and  methods  of  work.  (3)  As  to  the 
spirit  of  the  people. 

X.  In  what  ways  is  your  schoolhouse  fitted  for  the  use  of  the 
people  ?  If  you  could  fix  it  for  this  purpose,  what  changes 
would  you  make  ? 

XI.  In  what  ways  do  the  people  in  your  neighborhood  work 
together.''  (i)  On  the  telephone.''  (2)  On  the  school.''  (3) 
On  the  roads  .''  (4)  In  clubs  .?  (5)  In  public  sales  .''  (6)  By 
exchanging  help  at  threshing  time  or  in  filling  silos  ?  (7)  For 
the  church .''  the  Sunday  School  ?  (8)  By  joint  ownership 
of  farm  machinery .''     (9)   In  picnics  and  good  times  ? 

XII.  List  the  kind  of  good  time  you  have  out  in  the  country. 
List  the  good  times  you  might  have. 

XIII.  What  kind  of  good  times  are  there  in  the  nearest 
village  or  town  ? 

XIV.  Write  a  brief  article  on  :  "Ways  in  Which  Our  School 
Can  Serve  the  District." 

XV.  Do  the  institutions  in  your  community  work  together  ? 


CHAPTER   III 
Country  Life  Ideals 

I.  Ideals  Help  Us  to  Grow  in  the  Right  Direction. 
—  There  is  no  way  to  grow  straight  towards  better 
things  except  through  having  a  true  ideal  of  the 
place  we  want  to  reach  and  the  thing  we  want  some- 
time to  do  and  be.  Every  country  boy  knows 
that  the  only  way  to  plow  a  straight  furrow  is  to 
look  a  long  way  ahead.     This  is  the  way  with  ideals. 

Our  ideals  are  always  something  bigger  and  finer 
than  we  have  accomplished.  People  sometimes 
reach  what  was  once  their  ideal  only  to  find  that  their 
ideal  has  grown  and  is  still  on  beyond  them,  calling 
them  on.  True  ideals  are  like  the  end  of  the  rainbow 
which  is  always  further  on.  They  are  like  the  line 
of  the  far  horizon,  which  opens  as  we  approach  it 
to  the  horizon  of  new  worlds  of  hills  and  valleys  and 
fields  and  distant  towns  and  cities. 

To-day  there  are  great  country  life  ideals  to  grow 
toward.  These  are  the  ideals  of  greater  production, 
better  business  methods,  abundant  living,  and  strong, 
united  communities.  The  future  of  country  life 
will  hold  even  greater  ideals,  but  the  accomplish- 


COUNTRY  LIFE  IDEALS 


23 


ment  of  these  ideals  which  we  have  to-day  will  help 
us  to  grow  towards  the  vision  of  the  wider  horizon  of 
the  country  life  of  to-morrow. 

2.  Country  People  Are  Growing  towards  the  Ideal 
of  Greater  Production.  —  A  man  once  stated  this 
ideal  as  "  making  two 
blades  of  grass  grow 
where  one  grew  be- 
fore." It  is  the  ideal 
of  making  use  of  every 
acre  of  good  land  and 
growing  the  largest  pos- 
sible number  of  bushels 
on  every  acre. 

Greater  production 
means  more  than  get- 
ting a  large  yield  from 
every  acre  in  one  year. 
It  must  be  carried  on 
in  a  way  that  will  keep 
the  soil  fertile  for  crops 
of  future  years.  A  few 
bumper  crops  of  corn 
on  a  field,  taking  from 
the  soil  the  plant  food 
needed  in  later  years,  with  no  thought  of  feeding 
this  corn  on  the  farm  or  putting  the  field  into  clover 
or  some  crop  that  will  restore  the  nitrogen,  is  not 
being    true    to    this    ideal    of    greater    production. 


i.   H.V 


An  Intelligently  Farmed  Cornfield. 


24  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

Greater  production  means  farm  improvement.  It 
demands  a  long  look  ahead. 

This  ideal  demands  intelligent  farming.  Such 
farming  requires  the  use  of  one's  head  as  well  as  one's 
hands.  A  country  boy  who  realized  this  was  once 
writing  a  composition  on  "  Selecting,  Storing,  and 
Testing  Seed  Corn."  He  said,  "  It  takes  study  to 
select  good  ears  of  corn  for  seed  just  the  same  as  it 
does  to  work  arithmetic  problems." 

Through  this  ideal,  farming  is  becoming  more  and 
more  an  occupation  that  demands  the  best  kind  of 
education,  education  that  trains  the  person  who 
expects  to  take  it  up  for  this  special  work.  So  we 
are  realizing  the  great  value  of  a  course  in  an  agricul- 
tural college,  and  the  benefit  that  comes  from  study 
along  all  such  lines. 

There  is  a  chance  to  use  every  bit  of  intelligence  and 
mental  power  that  any  man  was  ever  endowed  with 
in  working  towards  the  ideal  of  maximum  produc- 
tion on  the  farms. 

3.  Country  People  Are  Awakening  to  the  Need  for 
Better  Business  Ideals.  —  New  farm  bookkeeping 
methods  determine  the  exact  cost  of  growing  crops 
and  record  whether  or  not  the  cows  in  a  dairy  herd 
are  profitable. 

Country  people  are  finding  more  direct  ways  of 
marketing  their  produce.  In  some  localities,  every 
one  unites  in  growing  the  same  kind  of  crops.  They 
unite  in  keeping  everything  up  to  a  certain  high 


COUNTRY  LIFE   IDEALS 


25 


standard.  In  this  way,  they  make  a  reputation  for 
the  thing  they  produce.  Through  wise  methods  of 
advertising  and  marketing  they  can  then  secure  the 
highest  prices.  An  example  of  this  is  the  Hood 
River  apple  and  the  Southern  California  orange. 
The  world  knows  them  because  they  have  been 
honestly  marketed  and  extensively  advertised.     This 


Cooperative  Irrigation. 

ideal  of  marketing  brings  the  producer  and  the  con- 
sumer into  the  most  direct  communication. 

Denmark  is  famous  for  the  way  in  which  its 
farmers  have  cooperated  in  their  production  and  in 
their  marketing.  They  have  many  cooperative 
cheese  and  bacon  factories  and  creameries.  Their 
standards  of  quality  are  very  high.  A  great  pros- 
perity for  all  has  been  the  result  of  the  adoption  of 
these  high  ideals  of  business. 


26  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

Closely  connected  with  the  advantage  of  marketing 
things  together  is  the  matter  of  buying  needed  sup- 
plies in  the  same  cooperative  way. 

But  business  ideals  would  not  be  reached,  with  all 
these  good  ways  of  buying  and  of  marketing  and  of 
determining  what  crops  pay,  unless  all  waste  were 
done  away  with.  The  windfall  apples,  the  corn- 
stalks, the  corners  of  the  fields  where  weeds  grow, 
the  swampy  "  back  pasture  "  —  must  all  be  made 
use  of  before  the  highest  degree  of  business  eflficiency 
is  attained. 

4.  Better  Living  Is  the  Greatest  Country  Life 
IdeaL  —  The  reason  for  greater  production  and  for 
better  business  methods  is,  primarily,  that  there  may 
be  more  to  invest  in  making  better  living  possible. 

The  increased  yield  of  wheat  means  not  only  that 
the  farmer  has  done  more  towards  feeding  the  world. 
It  means  also  that  he  has  money  with  which  to  do 
more  for  his  home.  It  makes  it  possible  to  put  run- 
ing  water  in  the  house  and  to  have  books  and  music 
and  other  things  which  make  work  lighter  and  life 
fuller  and  richer. 

This  ideal  of  better  living  is  of  great  interest  to 
country  girls  for  it  is  closely  connected  with  efficiency 
in  country  homes.  In  working  for  it,  they  will 
realize  what  the  President  of  the  United  States 
meant,  when  he  said  to  the  country  girl  who  was  the 
champion  bread  baker  in  a  state  that  he  thought 
it  was  quite  as  important  for  a  country  girl  to  know 


COUNTRY  LIFE   IDEALS 


27 


how  to  bake  a  good  loaf  of  bread  as  it  was  for  a 
country  boy  to  know  how  to  raise  a  record  yield  of 
corn  to  the  acre. 

To    make    better    living    possible,    country    girls 
should  study  the  problems  of  home  making  and  learn 


t 

It  is  quite  important  for  a  country  girl  to  know  how  to  bake  a  good 

loaf  of  bread. 

the  reasons  back  of  the  right  way  to  do  everyday 
things.  They  should  understand  how  to  arrange  a 
home  to  save  time  and  work,  the  value  of  a  small 
kitchen,  and  the  right  height  for  the  work  table. 
Then  they  will  find  there  is  time  for  the  happy  extras 


28  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

of  life  that  bring  so  much  of  beauty  and  joy.  There 
will  be  time,  too,  to  open  the  doors  of  the  home  in 
glad  hospitality  to  friends  and  neighbors. 

To  make  real  this  ideal  of  better  living  in  the 
country,  every  one  must  master  the  work  that  is  his 
to  do  and  take  time  to  come  in  touch  with  the  best 
in  the  place  where  he  lives,  and  the  best  that  the  world 
has  to  offer  in  literature,  music,  art,  and  human 
experience.  The  country  is  the  best  place  there  is  to 
live  for  people  who  do  this. 

5.  These  Ideals  Are  All  Expressed  in  the  Spirit  of 
the  New  Country  Life.  —  Into  the  hearts  of  country 
people  there  has  come  a  great  love  for  the  country  and 
a  loyalty  to  it.  They  appreciate  the  many  opportu- 
nities that  surround  them.  They  rejoice  in  the  great 
part  they  can  have  in  making  their  homes  and  com- 
munities all  that  it  is  possible  for  them  to  become. 

This  spirit  of  the  new  country  life  is  an  unselfish 
spirit.  Because  of  it,  people  think  of  the  common 
good  rather  than  of  their  own  interests.  It  makes 
people  share  the  best  they  have  with  others.  It 
brings  to  mind  those  who  are  having  the  least  chance. 
It  makes  the  man  on  a  good  farm  of  his  own  remem- 
ber the  man  who  is  having  a  hard  fight  for  a  living 
on  a  run-down  rented  farm. 

This  spirit  of  the  new  country  life  is  a  spirit  of 
true  everyday  friendliness.  It  promises  the  realiza- 
tion of  all  the  ideals  of  country  life  through  the  bring- 
ing in  of  the  Kingdom  of  Love  for  Neighbors  in 
country  communities. 


COUNTRY  LIFE   IDEALS  29 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  What  is  the  use  of  an  ideal  ? 

2.  What  makes  our  ideals  ? 

3.  How  do  our  ideals  change  ? 

4.  What  effect  have  ideals  on  people  ? 

5.  Name  the  four  great  country  life  ideals  of  to-day. 

6.  Explain  the  full  meaning  of  the  ideal  of  greater  produc- 
tion. 

7.  What  kind  of  ability  and  training  does  a  farmer  need  to 
reach  this  ideal  ? 

8.  What  is  the  advantage  to  a  farmer  of  keeping  books  .? 

9.  Why  is  it  important  to  market  produce  direct,  if  possible  ? 

10.  In  what  way  has  Denmark  developed  good  business 
methods  in  farming .? 

11.  What  is  the  relation  of  the  doing  away  with  waste  to 
business  ideals  of  farming  ? 

12.  How  should  increased  income  on  the  farm  be  invested  ? 

13.  How  is  the  ideal  of  better  living  related  to  the  interests 
of  country  girls  ? 

14.  What  is  the  spirit  of  the  new  country  life .? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  What  are  your  ideals  for  country  life  .? 

II.  What  field  on  your  farm  came  nearest  the  ideals  of 
maximum  production  the  last  season  ^  Do  you  know  another 
person's  field  that  had  a  higher  yield  ^ 

HI.  Find  out  the  highest  yield  per  acre  in  your  neighborhood 
of  all  the  staple  crops. 

IV.  What  was  the  average  yield  per  acre  of  these  crops  in  the 
county  ? 

V.  Was  the  record  for  your  neighborhood  better  than  that 
for  the  county  at  large  ?     Why  ? 


30  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

VI.  Did  the  yield  of  your  own  farm  come  up  to  the  yield  of 
the  neighborhood  ?  to  the  county  yield  ? 

VII.  Are  there  any  crops  that  go  to  waste  on  your  farm  ? 
How  could  this  waste  be  prevented  ? 

VIII.  What  kind  of  work  do  you  like  to  do  best .''     Why .? 

IX.  Describe  the  right  way,  giving  reasons:  (i)  To  wash 
dishes.     (2)  To  make  a  bed.     (3)  To  sweep  and  dust. 

X.  Describe  the  right  way,   giving  reasons:    (i)  To  plow. 

(2)  To  chop.     (3)  To  handle  a  seeder.     (4)  To  start  a  truck 
patch.     (5)  To  take  care  of  a  horse. 

XI.  List  the  resources  of  your  neighborhood  in  books, 
music,  and  lectures.  State  a  plan  by  which  boys  and  girls 
could  have  more  of  such  resources  to  enjoy. 

XII.  In  what  ways  have  you  known  neighbors  to  help  each 
other  ? 

XIII.  Write  an  account  of  the  finest  incident  showing  true 
neighborliness  that  you  have  ever  seen  or  heard  about. 

XIV.  List  things  that  boys  and  girls  can  do  to  express  the 
spirit  of  the  new  country  life:  (i)  For  the  children.  (2)  To 
help  in  times  of  extra  work,  such  as  threshing,  apple  picking,  etc. 

(3)  To  care  for  those  who  are  sick.     (4)  For  the  old  people. 
(5)  For  community  institutions. 


CHAPTER   IV 
The  Country  Home 

I.  The  Home  Is  More  Important  Than  Any  Other 
Part  of  Country  Life.  —  Every  one  begins  in  the 
home.  It  may  be  a  poor,  one-room  log  cabin,  like 
that  in  which  Abraham  Lincoln  was  born,  or  it 
may  be  a  fine-looking,  well-built  stone  mansion. 
In  whatever  form  it  may  be  found,  the  home  is 
the  place  where  people  begin  life,  surrounded  by 
the  various  members  of  their  families. 

People  begin  life  in  the  home,  and  live  nowhere 
else  for  the  first  five  or  six  years.  They  eat,  sleep, 
play,  and  work,  —  ajl   in  the  home. 

The  first  seven  years  of  life  are  called  the  forma- 
tive years  —  the  years  during  which  children  re- 
ceive their  first  impressions  of  the  world.  Children 
are  born  with  certain  faculties  which  they  must 
learn  to  use.  They  have  two  feet,  for  example. 
After  a  time,  they  learn  to  walk.  They  have 
tongues  and  vocal  chords,  with  which,  when  they 
are  about  eighteen  months  or  two  years  old,  children 
learn  to  talk.  They  have  minds,  which  they  learn 
to  use  in  thinking.     They  have  will  power  or  char- 

31 


32  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

acter,  which  is  developed  by  the  way  in  which  it 
is  used.  Children,  during  the  first  seven  years  of 
their  lives,  are  learning  to  use  their  faculties  for  the 
first  time.  They  should  learn  to  use  them  in  the 
right  way. 

Each  thing  that  a  person  does  helps  to  form  a 
habit.  If  a  boy  throws  a  ball  time  after  time  with 
his  left  hand,  he  gets  the  habit  of  throwing  it  with 
his  left  hand.  Acts  repeated  make  habits.  The 
beginnings  of  habits  are  made  in  the  home. 

It  is  easy  to  see  why  the  home  is  looked  upon  as 
important.  It  is  the  place  where  early  habits  are 
formed.  Early  habits  are  hard  to  break.  Home 
training  follows  people  through  life. 

2.  The  Home  Is  a  Living  Place  for  the  Family.  — 
The  home  is  important  because  it  is  the  place  where 
children  form  their  first  habits.  It  is  important 
for  another  reason,  and  a  larger  one,  —  the  family 
lives  in  the  home. 

People  are  tied  closer  to  families  than  to  anything 
else  in  the  world.  The  members  of  families  live 
together  every  day  of  the  year,  and  in  living  to- 
gether they  learn  a  great  deal  about  one  another. 
They  learn  to  be  kind,  to  be  helpful,  to  be  consid- 
erate, to  be  sympathetic.  Life  in  the  family  teaches 
forbearance.     It  leads  people  to  an  interest  in  others. 

Family  life  gives  the  tone  to  a  person's  life  out- 
side of  the  home.  The  boy  or  the  girl  who  grows 
up  in  a  home  with  a  kind,  loving,  considerate  father 


THE  COUNTRY  HOME 


33 


>-!-^^.^, -/>r  -r'i^Hm^;^."^ 

•ft-*  '^ 

--^^^■^.^^jiito^Ji^    ^^leg:*^:-^ ''   ji^ini^'l 

^11^^                              ...^ 

In  whatever  form  it  may  be    found,  the  home  is  the  place  where 
people  begin  life. 


34 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


and  mother  is  apt  to  be  kind,  loving,  and  considerate 
at  school,  at  play,  and  at  work.  He  has  felt  the 
power  of  kindness  and  learned  the  habit  of  kindness 
at  home,  and  the  habit  goes  with  him  wherever  he 
goes. 

3.    The   Country  Home  Is  a  Fine  Play  Place. — 
There  are  more  chances  to  do  mote  things  in  a  real 

country  home  than  in 
almost  any  other  place 
in  the  world.  While 
boys  and  girls  are 
young,  there  are  the 
cats,  the  dogs,  the 
chickens,  ducks,  geese, 
and  turkeys,  the  pigs, 
the  cattle,  and  the 
horses.  Perhaps  there 
is  a  pet  lamb  in  the 
spring,  or  a  brood  of 
little  chickens  newly 
hatched.  The  cat 
comes  in  crying  one 
morning,  and  leads  the 
way  to  the  box  under 
the  manger.  There, 
L  ,  squirming  in  a  nest  of 

Lven  a  pig  may  be  a  pet.  ~i  o 

rye  straw,  are  four 
little  kittens  with  their  eyes  tight  shut,  opening  their 
tiny  mouths,  and  making  just  the  faintest  kind  of 


THE  COUNTRY  HOME 


35 


faint  squeak.  All  through  the  year,  the  animals  are 
there  to  be  petted  and  played  with,  talked  to,  fed, 
and  trained. 

For  every  tame  creature  in  the  barnyard,  there 
are  a  dozen  wild  ones  in  the  meadow,  the  woods, 
the  shrubbery,  the  brook. 
Nature  has  stocked  the 
world  with  thousands  of 
birds  and  animals,  each 
one  of  which  builds  its 
nest,  has  its  young,  feeds 
itself  and  them,  and  lives 
its  own  particular  life. 

The  wild  creatures  are 
more  interesting  than  the 
tame  ones  in  a  way.  They 
are  more  natural.  They 
do  what  they  please. 
They  are  not  caged  or 
fenced  in.  They  are  hard- 
er to  get  acquainted  with, 
however,  for  those  very 
reasons. 

The  winter  brings  skating  and  sledding.  There 
is  the  haymow,  and  the  broad  white  stretches 
with  the  rabbit  tracks  crisscrossing  here  and  there. 

Spring  comes.  The  world  buds  and  then  blos- 
soms into  life.  Flowers  are  everywhere,  the  birds 
return,  the  earth  is  soft  and  brown.     There  is  kite 


-m-v 


H^/.i  '■'."> 


The  wild  creatures  are  more  in- 
teresting than  the  tame  ones. 


36 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


flying,  fishing,  bird  nesting,  swimming,  until  the 
autumn  frosts  bring  the  nuts  ratthng  down  on  the 
crisp  leaves. 

4.  The  Farm  Is  a  Work  Place.  —  Play  cannot 
last  forever.  It  would  grow  tiresome  if  it  did.  As 
boys  and  girls  grow  older,  they  are  asked  to  do  part 


There  are  many  things  about  the  farm  that  a  boy  can  do  as  well  as 

a  man. 

of  the  work  of  keeping  up  the  homestead.  The 
boys  help  with  the  farm  work.  As  every  country 
boy  knows,  there  are  many  things  about  the  farm 
that  a  boy  can  do  as  well  as  a  man.  He  can  drive 
the  cows  to  pasture  in  the  morning  and  bring  them 
home  at  night.  He  can  water  the  horses,  feed  pigs, 
milk,  drive  the  team,  and  help  in  a  thousand  other 
ways. 

Some  of  the  chores  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  coun- 
try boy  are  almost  play.  When,  for  example,  he  is 
asked  to  fix  the  farm  gate  or  to  go  to  town  on  an 


THE  COUNTRY  HOME 


37 


errand,  he  may  enjoy  himself  Hberally  if  he  is  so 
incHned. 

Some  of  the  chores  mean  hard  work.  Stone 
picking  is  hard  work.  So  are  potato  digging  and 
hoeing.  Milking  is  hard  work  in  the  winter  time. 
There  is  this  thing  about  hard  work  which  is  always 


One  way  in  which  girls  will  learn  to  make  good  homes. 

worth  remembering,  —  in  the  first  place,  it  trains 
the  muscles ;  in  the  second  place,  it  steadies  the 
nerves  and  makes  strong  determined  men. 

Every  boy  looks  with  admiration  at  a  strong,  vig- 
orous athlete.  There  is  only  one  way  in  which 
muscles  and  nerves  are  trained  and  developed,  that 
is  through  work.  While  it  is  being  done,  work  is 
sometimes  disagreeable.  When  it  is  finished,  how- 
ever, even  if  one  is  tired  and  worn  out,  there  are 


38 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


two  rewards  which  the  completed  work  brings. 
In  the  first  place,  father  may  say,  "  That  was  a 
good  job,  Thomas."  In  the  second  place,  even  if 
father  is  not  so  considerate,  Thomas  has  the  satis- 
faction of  having  done  a  good  job. 

Most  girls  look  forward  to  marrying  and  settling 
down  in   homes  of  their  own.     There  is    only  one 


The  whole  family  is  working  together  for  the  best  interests  of  all. 

way  in  which  a  girl  will  learn  to  make  a  good  home 
—  that  is  by  the  experience  which  she  gets  in  her 
mother's  home,  or  the  training  which  she  has  received 
in  school.  After  all,  no  school  training  will  equal 
the  training  which  a  well-kept  home  affords. 

5.    The  Country  Family  Is  Kept  Together  in  the 
Home.  —  The  home  should  have  a  natural  attrac- 


THE  COUNTRY  HOME  39 

tlon  that  brings  the  family  together  and  holds  it 
together.  Father,  mother,  boys,  and  girls  look  to 
the  home  as  the  place  where  the  family  has  lived 
its  days  and  years,  played,  worked,  grown  up,  and 
grown  old. 

Father,  mother,  boys,  and  girls  alike  have  a  part. 
The  father  does  the  heavy,  outside  work,  —  teaming, 
plowing,  harvesting.  The  mother  does  the  work 
in  the  house,  —  cooking,  cleaning,  tending  the  chil- 
dren. The  boys  help  with  the  outside  chores  ;  the 
girls  with  the  inside  chores.  The  whole  family  is 
working  together  for  the  best  interests  of  all. 

The  spirit  of  the  home  becomes  the  spirit  of  the 
family  life.  The  duty  of  maintaining  the  home- 
stead spirit  rests  on  all  alike. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  Who  live  in  the  home  .? 

2.  What  are  the  first  seven  years  of  Hfe  called  ?     Why  ? 

3.  Why  should  you  be  careful  as  to  the  kind  of  habits  you 
form  while  you  are  young  ?  Make  a  list  of  the  habits  you  are 
forming. 

4.  What  are  some  of  the  qualities  you  acquire  while  living 
together  in  the  home .?     What  does  the  family  teach  .'' 

5.  What  kind  of  influence  will  a  kind,  loving,  considerate 
father  and  mother  be  likely  to  have  on  the  boy  or  girl  ? 

6.  Have  you  made  pets  of  any  of  the  animals  on  your  farm  } 
Which  animals  ? 

7.  Why  are  the  wild  creatures  more  interesting  than  the 
tame  ones  ? 

8.  Make  a  list  of  the  winter  sports  of  the  country. 


40  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

9.  What  changes  do  you  notice  on  and  around  the  farm  in 
the  spring  ? 

10.  Name  some  of  the  things  which  a  boy  can  do  to  help  with 
the  work  of  the  farm.  Which  of  the  tasks  are  easy  and  which 
are  hard  ? 

11.  How  can  the  girls  help  with  the  farm  work?  Make  a 
list  of  the  tasks  she  can  do. 

1 2.  Which  is  the  better  place  to  learn  the  art  of  home  making 
—  the  home  or  the  school  ?     Give  your  reasons  for  your  answer. 

13.  Name  some  reasons  why  the  home  should  be  well  kept 
or  managed. 

14.  Who  should  do  the  work  of  the  home  ? 

15.  Who  is  responsible  for  the  spirit  maintained  in  the  home  ? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  list  of  the  time  you  spend  each  day  on  the  various 
things  that  you  do. 

II.  How  many  hours  each  day  are  spent  at  home:  (i)  By 
you.?  (2)  By  your  father.?  your  mother .?  (3)  By  each  of 
your  brothers  and  sisters  ? 

III.  Do  the  above  answers  hold  true  for  Sundays  ?  for  a 
holiday  ?  for  Saturday  afternoons  ? 

IV.  Would  your  answers  be  different:  (i)  For  winter? 
(2)  For  summer?     (3)  For  a  rainy  day? 

V.  Make  a  list  of  the  habits  that  children  form  at  home. 

VI.  Name  the  habits  that  you  formed  at  home. 

VII.  Suppose  you  had  a  family  of  three  girls.  What  habits 
should  you  want  to  have  them  develop  at  home  ? 

VIII.  Would  your  answer  be  different  for  a  family  of  three 
boys  ?  of  two  boys  and  two  girls  ? 

IX.  Make  a  list  of  the  separate  parts  of  your  farm  home. 

X.  Make  a  similar  list  for  the  house  in  which  you  live. 

XI.  Name  the  games  that  you  play  at  home. 


THE  COUNTRY  HOME  41 

XII.  Do  you  know  of  any  games  that  you  might  play  at 
home  and  that  you  have  never  tried  ? 

XIII.  What  kind  of  game  is  the  easiest  to  play  at  home .? 

XIV.  What  kind  of  home  games  do  you  enjoy  the  most  ? 

XV.  What  animals  might  you  have  on  your  farm  ? 

XVI.  Make  a  list  of  all  the  birds  that  you  have  seen  on  your 
farm. 

XVII.  Make  a  list  of  the  wild  animals  that  you  have  seen  on 
your  farm. 

XVIII.  Make  a  list  of  the  insects  that  you  have  seen  on  your 
farm. 

XIX.  Make  a  list  of  all  the  pets  you  have  ever  had. 

XX.  Make  a  list  of  all  the  pets  you  would  care  to  have, 
putting  first  the  one  you  would  like  best.  Give  the  reasons  for 
your  choice. 

XXI.  If  you  were  a  boy  on  a  general  farm,  which  of  the 
chores  should  you  prefer  to  do  .''     Why  ? 

XXI I.  If  you  were  a  girl  living  on  a  general  farm,  which  part 
of  the  housework  should  you  prefer  to  do  ?     Why  ? 

XXIII.  In  what  ways  could  the  chores  on  your  farm  be  made 
more  interesting  ? 

XXIV.  You  are  the  head  of  a  family  of  a  man,  wife,  a  boy 
of  fifteen,  a  girl  of  eleven,  a  girl  of  nine,  and  a  boy  of  eight. 
You  are  living  on  a  general  farm  of  eighty  acres.  You  have  one 
hired  man,  five  horses,  three  cows,  a  dozen  pigs,  and  a  hundred 
chickens,  (i)  How  would  you  divide  up  the  chores  during 
March  and  April  ?  (2)  During  May  and  June  ?  (3)  During 
August  and  September  ?  (4)  How  would  you  divide  the  work 
if  the  hired  man  was  sick  for  the  first  two  weeks  in  October  ? 
(5)  How  would  you  divide  the  work  if  the  wife  was  in  poor 
health  during  June  ? 

XXV.  Apply  the  questions  in  Exercise  XXIV  to:  (i)  An 
apple  and  peach  farm.  (2)  A  dairy  farm.  (3)  A  squab  farm. 
(4)  A  wheat  farm  in  North  Dakota.  (5)  A  general  farm  of 
160  acres  in  Iowa. 


CHAPTER  V 

The  Art  of  Home  Making 

I.  Home  Making  Is  an  Art. — The  homestead 
must  be  arranged  in  such  a  way  that  it  will  make 
the  life  of  the  home  effective  and  comfortable. 
There  are  two  parts  in  homestead  making.  One 
has  to  do  with  making  a  workplace ;  the  other 
with  making  a  living  place. 


Homesteads  do  not  happen. 

Homesteads    do    not    happen.     They    are    made 
by  men  and  women.     Their  goodness  or  badness 

42 


THE  ART  OF  HOME   MAKING  43 

is  therefore  the  resuh  of  the  good  planning  or  the 
bad  planning  which  men  and  women  do. 

Suppose  that  you  had  decided  to  settle  down, 
marry,  establish  a  homestead,  and  bring  up  a  fam- 
ily, how  would  you  plan  your  work  ?  What  steps 
would  you  take  to  make  of  the  homestead  a  work 
place  and  a  living  place  ?  Few  people  who  begin 
housekeeping  nowadays  are  able  to  plan  their 
entire  home.  The  farm  which  they  take  already 
has  buildings  on  it.  At  the  same  time,  in  twenty, 
thirty,  or  forty  years,  a  family  can  make  great 
changes  in  any  property.  It  is  well  worth  while 
to  have  the  plans  ready,  at  any  rate.  The  work  can 
often  be  done  in  odd  moments  if  you  know  exactly 
what  you  want. 

2.  The  Buildings  Are  the  First  Consideration.  — 
The  buildings  come  first,  because  the  family  and 
the  stock  must  live  in  comfortable,  healthful  sur- 
roundings. At  the  same  time,  convenience  must 
be  borne  in  mind. 

The  house  should  be  on  high  ground  —  the  higher 
the  better,  unless  it  is  in  a  very  hilly  region.  Height 
means  good  drainage,  which  is  one  of  the  most 
important  things  to  consider.  Height  also  means 
fresh  air,  which  is  the  other  important  thing  from 
the  viewpoint  of  health.  At  the  same  time,  the 
house  should  be  convenient  to  the  road,  but  far 
enough  away  to  be  free  from  dust  and  to  make 
possible  a  front  lawn,  flowers,  a  hedge,  and  shade 


44 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


trees.  These  may  not  come  all  at  once,  but  they 
can  be  started,  a  few  at  a  time,  and,  almost  before 
you  realize  it,  the  surroundings  of  the  house  are 
artistic   and   comfortable. 

The  surroundings  of  the  home  must  be  planned, 
like  every  other  part  of  the  homestead,  —  planned 


Convenience,  Comfort,  and  Beauty. 

for  convenience,  for  comfort,  and  for  beauty.  A 
little  care  and  judgment  will  keep  shade  trees,  grass 
under  the  trees,  clumps  of  shrubs  and  flowers,  lend- 
ing a  touch  of  color  from  early  spring  to  late  fall, 
and  an  appearance  of  homelikeness  that  makes 
any  one  who  passes  feel  like  coming  in  to  rest  and 
enjoy  the  place. 

The  farm  buildings  are  as  important  as  the  house. 


THE  ART  OF  HOME   MAKING  45 

They  too  must  be  laid  out  with  an  eye  to  con- 
venience, to  efficiency,  and  to  architectural  effect. 
Where  new  farm  buildings  are  being  erected,  care 
should  be  taken  to  make  them  fit  into  the  landscape. 
There  is  no  reason  why  landscape  architecture 
should   be  confined   to  cities  and  city  suburbs.     It 


Old  buildings  can  be  painted  and  well  kept  up. 

can  be  made  more  effective  on  the  farm  than  any- 
where else,  because  the  opportunities  on  the  farm 
are  greater  than  they  are  elsewhere.  The  area  is 
larger  and  the  chances  for  effective  work  are  more 
abundant. 

Most  people  who  have  farm  homes  do  not  erect 
the  buildings.  They  take  some  or  all  of  the  build- 
ings which  they  find  on  the  farm,  and  utilize  them 


46  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

to  the  best  possible  advantage.  Old  buildings  can- 
not be  architectural  in  their  structure,  but  they 
can  be  painted  and  well  kept  up.  Whenever  a 
new  building  is  added,  it  can  be  harmonized  with  the 
rest  of  the  buildings  on  the  farm. 

Each  building  that  is  erected  should  be  designed 
to  suit  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  constructed,  and 
all  of  the  buildings  should  answer  the  general  pur- 
poses of  the  farm.  The  buildings  on  the  dairy  farm 
should  differ  from  the  buildings  on  the  general  farm, 
just  as  the  buildings  on  the  fruit  farm  differ  from  the 
buildings  on  the  poultry  farm.  Every  form  of  build- 
ing can  be  made  artistic  and  effective.  The  nature 
of  the  work  on  each  farm  must  determine  the  kind 
of  building. 

When  buildings  are  erected,  they  should  be  laid 
out  in  pursuance  of  some  general  plan.  On  many 
farms,  the  building  which  was  designed  for  a  corn 
crib  is  turned  into  a  henhouse  because  no  other 
place  for  the  chickens  is  available.  The  barn  is 
located  here,  the  wagon  shed  yonder,  and  the  water- 
ing trough  over  there,  without  any  particular  rela- 
tion to  either  the  barn  or  the  shed.  The  group  of 
farm  buildings  should  be  planned  just  as  carefully 
as  a  group  of  factory  buildings  is  planned.  The 
first  aim  must  be  convenience  and  efficiency ;  the 
second  must  .be  that  the  buildings  look  as  if  they 
belonged  in  the  places  where  they  are  put. 

Buildings    are   the    backbone   of   the   homestead. 


THE  ART  OF   HOME  MAKING  47 

Where  they  are  built  new,  they  deserve  more  thought 
and  attention  than  any  other  single  part  of  the 
farm.  If  old  buildings  are  used,  they  should  be 
made  as  sightly  as  possible,  and  whenever  con- 
venient, they  should  be  replaced  by  buildings  better 
suited  in  comfort,  design,  and  location  to  fit  the 
needs  for  which  they  are  intended. 

3.  The  Water  Supply  Must  Be  Carefully  Selected. 
—  People  who  live  in  cities  are  handicapped  for  lack 
of  good  air,  as  well  as  for  lack  of  good  water.  Coun- 
try people  have  an  abundance  of  good  air,  but  in 
many  cases,  they  have  difficulty  in  getting  good  water. 

The  problem  of  water  and  the  problem  of  drain- 
age go  hand  in  hand.  Too  often  the  house  and  the 
barn  are  located  on  the  same  level  or  they  are  sup- 
plied with  water  from  a  spring  or  well  into  which 
water  that  has  run  from  both  house  and  barn  may 
drain.  In  hilly  districts,  the  problem  of  water-sup- 
ply is.  not  very  serious.  The  house  is  located  higher 
than  the  barn,  and  the  bottom  of  the  spring  or  well 
is  higher  than  any  of  the  possible  sources  of  contam- 
ination. In  districts  where  the  land  is  flat  or  only 
slightly  rolling,  the  water  problem  becomes  a  most 
serious  one.  If  possible,  in  such  places,  water  should 
be  supplied  from  a  driven  well  made  sufficiently 
deep  to  be  free  of  all  surface  drainage.  Where  this 
is  not  possible,  the  greatest  care  should  be  exercised 
in  the  use  of  water  into  which  any  surface  drainage 
may  enter. 


48 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


One  of  the  heaviest  tasks  of  the  country  home  has 
always  been  carrying  water.  Modern  mechanics 
has  contributed  no  more  important  thing  to  the 
farm  than  plumbing  and  pipe  fitting.  So  simple 
has  pipe  fitting  been  made  that,  in  many  high  schools 
and  in  some  country  schools,  boys  are  given  a  course 


A  windmill  can  easily  be  made  to  furnish  running  water. 

which  enables  them  to  return  to  their  homes  and  fit 
out  a  complete  water  system  for  house  and  farm 
buildings. 

Any  person  of  ordinary  mechanical  ability  can 
pipe  a  farm  for  water.  The  heavy  work  involved 
in  digging  trenches  for  the  pipes  is  more  than  com- 


THE  ART  OF  HOME  MAKING 


49 


so  ■    COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

pensated  by  the  saving  in  time  and  energy  which 
resuhs  from  having  water  handy  in  the  house  and 
the  barn,  instead  of  in  an  unhandy  well  or  spring. 
Many  farm  buildings  are  so  located  that  a  water 
supply  can  be  secured  from  a  point  higher  than  the 
house  or  barn.  In  such  a  case,  it  can  be  piped  down 
the  hill  to  insure  a  flow  of  water  always.  In  many 
other  cases,  tanks  must  be  erected  and  the  water 
pumped  up  into  them  by  wind  or  gasoline  engine. 
In  any  case,  farmers  and  farmers'  wives  are  justified 
in  going  to  great  lengths  in  providing  a  water  supply 
that  will  relieve  them  from  the  back-breaking  task 
of  carrying  water. 

4.  The  House  Must  Be  Planned  for  Efficiency. 
—  There  are  three  different  parts  of  the  house :  the 
work  part,  the  sleeping  part,  and  the  living  part. 
Each  has  its  uses  and  each  should  be  designed  with 
its  particular  use  in  mind.  The  principal  work 
place  in  the  house  is  the  kitchen.  The  farm  build- 
ings and  the  farm  are  the  workshop  of  the  man. 
The  kitchen  and  the  house  are  the  work  place  of 
the  country  woman.  Most  country  women  spend  a 
great  majority  of  their  waking  hours  in  their  kitch- 
ens. They  are  the  source  of  supply  for  the  food 
of  the  family.  They  are  used  for  washing,  ironing, 
and  many  of  the  other  activities  of  the  household. 
Sometimes  country  people  sit  about  in  their  kitch- 
ens, —  particularly  during  cold  weather.  The  opin- 
ion   seems    to    be    gaining    ground,    however,    that 


THE  ART  OF   HOME   MAKING 


51 


/ 


52  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

a  kitchen  should  be  built  for  efficiency  and  not  for 
comfort. 

The  country  kitchen  should  be  so  designed  that 
it  will  make  as  easy  as  possible  the  work  of  the 
country  woman.  First  of  all,  water  should  be  piped 
into  the  kitchen.  In  the  second  place,  the  kitchen 
sink,  the  stove,  the  kitchen  table,  and  the  cupboard 
in  which  dishes  and  supplies  are  kept,  should  all  be 
within  easy  reaching  distance  of  one  another.  Many 
kitchens  are  built  so  large  that  it  is  necessary  to  walk 
miles  in  the  course  of  preparing  a  meal.  The  well- 
built    kitchen    dispenses   with   unnecessary   steps. 

An  efficient  kitchen  is  a  rather  small  kitchen.  If 
washing  is  to  be  done,  the  kitchen  must  be  larger. 
If  there  is  a  laundry  or  shed  in  which  the  washing 
can  be  carried  on,  the  kitchen  can  be  reduced  in 
size,  and  its  efficiency  increased  proportionately. 

The  country  kitchen  should  be  well  equipped. 
It  should  be  equipped  with  a  good  stove,  and  if 
possible,  with  a  gas,  gasoline,  or  oil  stove  for  cook- 
ing during  hot  weather.  The  housewife  should  have 
good  kitchen  implements  and  sharp  tools  with  which 
to  work.  As  much  care  is  needed  in  the  purchasing 
of  kitchen  implements  as  is  required  for  the  purchase 
of  farm  implements.  The  kitchen  implements  facil- 
itate the  work  of  the  woman  just  as  the  farm  imple- 
ments facilitate  the  work  of  the  farmer.  Both  are 
necessary  in  the  well-regulated  home. 

Many  modern  farm  homes  are  provided  with  a 


THE  ART  OF  HOME   MAKING  53 

study,  library,  or  other  work  place  where  the  farmer 
has  his  desk,  keeps  his  records,  letters,  books,  and 
the  like.  Record  keeping  is  a  necessary  part  of  the 
management  of  an  up-to-date  farm  and  a  study  or 
library  is  becoming  indispensable  in  farm  households. 

The  great  essential  for  the  bedrooms  is  fresh  air. 
In  many  sections  of  the  country  where  the  weather 
is  not  too  severe,  people  are  sleeping  on  screened 
porches  during  the  entire  year.  Indeed,  it  seems 
absurd  for  people  to  sleep  in  stuffy  rooms  until  they 
are  diseased,  and  then  to  go  to  a  sanitarium,  and 
sleep  in  the  fresh  air  until  they  are  cured. 

Where  no  porch  or  other  outside  sleeping  place 
is  available,  the  windows  may  still  be  numerous 
and  large  so  that  air  in  sleeping  rooms  can  be  changed 
frequently. 

The  third  essential  part  of  a  well-organized  coun- 
try home  is  a  living  place.  People  frequently  use 
the  kitchen  as  a  sitting-room.  This  practice  is 
open  to  the  objection  that  it  makes  the  kitchen  large 
and  inconvenient  for  the  work  of  the  housewife, 
The  most  desirable  form  of  sitting-room  is  a  small, 
cozy,  comfortably  furnished  room  with  an  open  fire- 
place. Wood  is  usually  cheap  in  the  country  and 
the  open  fireplace  can  be  kept  burning  at  little  cost. 
It  gives  out  a  considerable  amount  of  heat,  and  is  of 
great  use  in  drawing  stale  air  out  of  the  room.  It 
possesses  the  additional  advantage  of  throwing  an 
air  of  comfort  over  the  entire  room. 


54 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


There  is  no  need  in  a  country  home,  or  in  any- 
other  home,  for  an  uncomfortably  furnished  room 
that  is  used  only  when  there  are  callers,  and  then 
to  the  discomfort  of  both  family  and  guests.  Such 
superfluous  house  space  is  rapidly  becoming  a  thing 
of  the  past.  It  is  yielding  to  the  American  demand 
for  ease,  comfort,  and  enjoyment. 


An  Example  of  Careful  Upkeep. 

The  three  main  purposes  of  the  house  are  efficiency, 
health,  and  comfort.  Each  portion  of  it  should  be 
planned  and  maintained  with  these  three  things  in 
view. 

5.  The  Planning  of  the  Countryside  Begins  at 
Home.  —  The  countryside  cannot  be  reorganized 
all  at  once.  The  work  must  be  done  gradually  in 
order    that    it    may    be    done    effectively.     Poorly 


THE  ART  OF  HOME   MAKING  55 

kept  homes,  unpainted  buildings,  broken  fences, 
bad  roads  are  evidences  of  low  standards  of  family 
and  of  community  life.  Neat  fences,  careful  shel- 
ter, good  stock,  well-kept  gardens,  and  comfortable- 
looking  homes  are  all  indications  of  a  well-kept,  well- 
regulated  community. 

The  work  necessarily  begins  in  the  home.  It  is 
unreasonable  for  one  man  to  hang  over  his  unhinged 
gate  and  rail  against  the  broken  pickets  on  a  neigh- 
bor's fence.  A  good  example  in  the  form  of  care 
and  careful  upkeep  will  do  more  than  a  myriad  of 
criticisms  and  sermons.  In  those  country  com- 
munities where  each  family  takes  pride  in  the  upkeep 
of  its  own  home,  the  community  plainly  shows  the 
result. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  What  should  be  the  aims  of  the  homestead  ? 

2.  What  are  the  two  parts  to  be  considered  in  home  making  ? 

3.  How  will  you  plan  your  home  ? 

4.  If  you  are  going  to  live  in  a  hilly  country,  where  should 
you  be  likely  to  build  your  house  ? 

5.  What  are  some  of  the  things  to  be  taken  into  consideration 
in  building  your  house  ? 

6.  If  you  have  the  chance  to  erect  new  buildings,  what  are 
you  going  to  do  to  make  them  more  effective  ? 

7.  Suppose  you  buy  a  farm  on  which  there  are  old  buildings ; 
how  can  you  improve  them  ? 

8.  Why  should  the  purpose  for  which  a  building  is  to  be  used 
be  taken  into  consideration  ? 

9.  What  is  one  of  the  first  things  to  be  done  before  any 
buildings  are  started  ? 


56  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

10.  Why  are  buildings  the  backbone  of  the  homestead  ? 

11.  Why  are  the  problems  of  water  supply  and  drainage  so 
important  in  the  country  ? 

12.  What  precautions  should  be  taken  in  regard  to  surface 
drainage  ? 

13.  For  what  reasons  is  it  better  for  the  house  to  be  located 
on  the  top  of  the  hill  rather  than  at  the  bottom  ? 

14.  Name  the  different  parts  of  the  house  and  give  their 
uses. 

15.  Make  a  list  of  the  advantages  of  a  small  kitchen.  How 
is  your  kitchen  arranged  ?  If  you  were  given  a  chance  to  change 
it,  what  would  be  some  of  the  points  you  would  consider  .'* 

16.  What  is  meant  by  an  "efficient  kitchen"  ? 
17..  Describe  the  sitting-room. 

18.  What  are  some  of  the  advantages  of  an  open  fireplace  ? 

19.  Name  the  three  main  purposes  of  the  house. 

20.  What  are  some  of  the  signs  of  a  well-kept,  well-regulated 
community  ? 

21.  How  can  you  help  to  keep  up  a  high  standard  in  your 
community  ? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Begin  the  discussion  of  home  making  with  a  study  of  your 
own  home,  (i)  Draw  a  free-hand  map  of  the  farm,  locating  the 
elevations,  streams,  and  other  geographic  features.  (2)  Show 
the  location  of  the  house,  the  farm  buildings,  and  the  water 
supply.  (3)  Draw  a  map  to  scale  of  the  house  and  farm  build- 
ings, showing  the  relation  to  each  other  and  to  the  roads  and 
lanes.  (4)  Make  a  free-hand  plan  of  your  own  house,  show- 
ing the  various  rooms,  the  doors,  windows,  and  so  on. 

II.  Suppose  you  were  able  to  rebuild  any  one  of  the  farm 
buildings  on  your  farm ;  which  one  would  you  rebuild,  and  for 
what  reason  ? 


THE  ART  OF  HOME  MAKING  57 

III.  Suppose  you  were  able  to  refurnish  one  room  in  your 
house ;  which  one  would  you  refurnish,  and  for  what  reason  ? 

IV.  You  have  been  given  $1250  for  the  purpose  of  making 
the  most-needed  improvement  on  the  place.  Show  in  detail 
how  you  would  spend  it. 

V.  Your  father  tells  you  that  you  may  make  the  layout  of 
the  front  yard.  Make  a  plan  showing  the  changes  which  you 
would  make  in  it  during  each  of  three  succeeding  years. 

VI.  Your  farm  buildings  and  house  have  all  been  burned  to 
the  ground.  The  insurance  money  is  sufficient  to  rebuild  all 
of  the  buildings.  The  family  holds  a  council  and  asks  you  to 
draw  up  plans  for  rebuilding.  You  need  not  locate  the  new 
buildings  on  the  site  of  the  old  ones,  (i)  On  what  part  of  the 
farm  would  you  locate  the  new  buildings .?  (2)  Draw  a  plan 
showing  the  location  of  each  new  building.  (3)  Make  a  sketch 
of  the  plan  of  each  building. 

VII.  Your  family  decides  to  select  a  new  water  supply. 
(i)  Where  would  you  go  for  the  water?  (2)  What  means 
would  you  employ  to  get  it  to  the  house  and  farm  buildings  .'' 
(3)  Make  a  plan  showing  the  location  of  pipes  and  apparatus. 

VIII.  You  decide  that  your  health  would  be  improved  by 
sleeping  on  an  open  porch,  (i)  How  could  this  be  arranged 
most  cheaply  ?  (2)  If  you  make  up  your  mind  to  build  a 
sleeping  porch,  where  should  you  place  it  ? 


CHAPTER  VI 
The  Home  as  the  Center  of  Family  Life 

I.    The   Home   Centers   about  the   Hearth. — As 

far  as  men  can  go  in  history,  this  holds  true.  The 
members  of  a  family,  coming  together  around  the 
hearthstone,  have  made  of  it  the  hub  of  family 
existence. 

At  first  the  hearthstone  was  a  fire,  built  in  the 
open  or  in  the  mouth  of  a  cave.  The  crude  men  and 
women  who  assembled  about  this  fire  were  dressed 
in  skins  ;  their  long,  unkempt  hair  hung  over  their 
shoulders  ;  they  spoke  a  choppy,  broken  language ; 
and  they  held  in  their  hands  crude  weapons  made  of 
wood,  or  perhaps  of  wood  and  flint.  These  wild 
people,  living  their  wild  life,  joined  one  another 
around  the  fire,  where  they  ate,  shouted,  and  danced. 
The  hearth  was  the  common  meeting  place  where  the 
members  of  the  tribe,  clan,  or  family  came  to  satisfy 
their  hunger. 

As  time  passed,  a  religious  significance  was  given 
to  the  meetings  around  the  hearth.  Primitive  men 
attached  a  great  deal  of  importance  to  their  ances- 
tors.    They  thought  of  them  as  having  made  the 

58 


HOME  AS  CENTER  OF  FAMILY  LIFE     59 

great  discoveries,  perfected  the  inventions,  and 
handed  on  the  knowledge  of  the  tribe  or  clan.  The 
hearthstone  became  an  altar  stone,  and  the  ancestors 
were  worshiped  at  the  common  meeting  place  of 
the  family.     The  hearth  was  thus  made  sacred. 

The  outcome  of  this  ancestor  worship  with  its 
emphasis  on  the  hearthstone,  and  the  necessity  for 
the  worship  of  ancestors  by  their  descendants  and 
by  them  only,  was  a  tribal  spirit  that  bound  the 
members  of  the  tribe  together  with  the  strongest 
bonds.  So  strong  was  this  feeling,  that  each  mem- 
ber of  the  tribe  was  willing  to  give  anything  or  sacri- 
fice anything  for  the  other  members. 

Ancestor  worship  does  not  exist  in  Western  civili- 
zation, nevertheless,  the  hearth  may  still  be  made 
the  center  of  family  gatherings  which  will  strengthen 
family  ties  in  the  same  ways  that  tribal  gatherings 
strengthened  tribal  ties. 

2.  The  Breaking  of  Bread  Is  a  Sacrament.  — 
Among  people  who  live  in  warm  countries  and  who 
do  not  have  fires  and  fireplaces  —  the  Arabs,  for 
example  —  there  is  a  strong  significance  attached  to 
eating  in  common.  An  Arab  is  very  particular  about 
the  persons  with  whom  he  eats.  Only  his  friends 
and  intimates  may  eat  with  him,  but  once  let  him 
partake  of  salt  at  the  same  table  or  meal  with  any 
one,  and  by  that  act  he  becomes  his  friend,  even  to 
death.  The  man  who  eats  salt  with  an  Arab  may 
rely  on  him  absolutely. 


6o  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

You  will  remember,  in  the  story  of  *'  Ali  Baba  and 
the  Forty  Thieves,"  that  Morgiana  put  no  salt  into 
the  bread,  so  that  her  master  would  be  free  to  kill 
Ali  Baba  without  breaking  his  faith.  The  eating  of 
salt  is  symbolic  of  close  friendship. 

The  country  family  usually  assembles  three  times 
each  day  around  the  common  board.  What  happens 
there  ^  In  some  homes  there  is  bickering  and  fault- 
finding, in  others  there  is  quarreling.  The  success- 
ful home  is  one  in  which  the  mealtime  is  used  as  a 
means  of  cementing  the  relations  of  family  life. 

When  the  family  assembles  at  the  table,  it  has 
two  purposes,  —  first  to  get  acquainted,  and  second 
to  eat.  The  *'  get  acquainted  "  idea  should  be  kept 
continually  in  mind.  If  a  boy  wishes  to  ask  some 
question  of  common  interest,  he  should  ask  it  at  the 
table.  If  a  girl  has  learned  something  that  she 
thinks  would  prove  of  interest  to  the  rest  of  the 
family,  she  should  tell  it  at  the  table.  Father  and 
mother  should  both  aim  to  keep  the  mealtime  in- 
teresting, and  make  it  the  real  center  of  the  thought 
life  of  the  family. 

3.  There  Should  Be  a  Story  Hour  in  Every  Home. 
—  Most  homes  can  easily  have  a  story  hour.  Per- 
haps it  will  come  only  once  or  twice  each  week.  It 
should  come,  however,  with  insistent  regularity.  It 
should  come,  no  matter  how  old  the  members  of  the 
family  are. 

Even  in  those  homes  where  there  are  no  children. 


HOME  AS  CENTER  OF   FAMILY  LIFE     6i 

a  man  and  his  wife  may  have  a  story  hour.  At 
stated  times  each  week,  they  may  take  turns  read- 
ing plays,  stories,  poetry,  science,  biography,  or  any 
other  form  of  writing  in  which  they  may  be  in- 
terested. Such  homes  are,  of  course,  the  exception, 
yet  even  there  family  ties  may  be  cemented  by 
common  activities. 

A  home  in  which  there  are  young  children  should 
have  a  story  hour,  or  a  reading  hour  as  a  part  of  the 
regular  home  life.  The  mother  may  have  a  moment 
to  read  to  the  children  while  they  are  eating  their 
lunch  or  supper,  unless  they  sit  at  the  table  with 
the  family.  If  they  do,  she  may  read  to  them  or  tell 
them  stories  while  they  are  undressing  or  immediately 
after  they  go  to  bed.  Where  there  are  older  and 
younger  children,  the  story  hour  gives  a  splendid 
chance  for  both.  The  younger  children  may  be 
given  their  lunch  or  supper  before  the  rest  of  the 
family,  and  while  they  are  eating  it,  the  older  chil- 
dren may  read  to  them  or  tell  them  stories.  In  this 
way  the  younger  children  have  the  advantage  of  the 
story  hour,  and  the  older  children  have  the  oppor- 
tunity to  care  for  their  smaller  brothers  and  sisters 
in  a  way  that  is  helpful  to  both. 

As  children  grow  older,  the  whole  family  may 
meet  in  the  evening  around  the  stove,  or  around  the 
fireplace,  and  read,  tell  stories,  or  talk.  It  will  not 
do,  however,  for  one  person  always  to  be  the  reader. 
As  boys  and  girls  grow  older,  they  get  a  larger  interest 


62  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

and  a  new  view  of  life.  They,  too,  must  have  an 
equal  share  in  family  activities.  There  is  little  diffi- 
culty, nowadays,  in  maintaining  the  interest  in  a 
family  reading  circle.  All  of  the  magazines  and 
some  of  the  daily  and  weekly  papers  contain  stories 
that  are  worth  reading.  Many  books  are  published 
on  science,  biography,  social  topics,  and  community 
topics  which  make  good  reading  and  good  material 
for  thought  and  discussion.  All  of  these  sources 
may  be  relied  upon  to  provide  the  necessary  reading 
material. 

The  reading  circle  gives  the  family  a  common 
meeting  ground  of  common  interest.  Where  each 
one  takes  part,  each  has  an  opportunity  to  express 
his  own  choices  and  his  own  opinions. 

4.  The  Family  Council  Makes  Home  Spirit.  — 
The  family  council  is  a  home  asset  that  is  often  neg- 
lected. It  is  really  invaluable  for  every  one  con- 
cerned. 

Most  of  the  questions,  however,  that  come  up 
before  the  family  for  discussion  should  be  passed  on 
by  every  member  of  the  family  group.  Each  boy 
and  each  girl  should  have  a  share  in  deciding  what 
color  the  barn  is  to  be  painted  ;  whether  pansies  or 
lilies  of  the  valley  shall  be  set  out  along  the  front 
walk.  They  should  be  consulted  too,  before  a  patch 
of  alfalfa  is  planted,  and  before  white  leghorns  are 
banished  in  favor  of  Rhode  Island  Reds.  Some 
boys  and  girls  may  not  know  very  much  about  these 


HOME  AS   CENTER  OF   FAMILY  LIFE     63 

questions,  —  others  do.  They  will  learn,  by  having 
a  chance  to  think  them  over  and  talk  them  over. 

Young  children  should  not  be  unfairly  burdened 
by  the  problems  of  family  life.  Boys  and  girls  often 
worry  over  things  that  are  not  worth  worrying  over. 
What  to  discuss  and  what  not  to  discuss  depends  a 
great  deal  upon  the  way  in  which  children  take 
things.  In  general  the  more  chance  children  have 
to  discuss  and  decide,  the  better  for  them  and  for 
the  home. 

The  family  council  is  a  training  ground  for  democ- 
racy. Democratic  citizens  are  never  produced  in 
homes  autocratically  run  by  either  the  father  or  the 
mother.  Most  communities  are  too  large  nowa- 
days for  effective  town  meetings.  Every  household 
can  have  its  family  council. 

Perhaps  it  is  too  much  to  ask  that  a  majority  vote 
settle  home  questions.  Indeed,  voting  is  undesir- 
able in  family  councils,  the  principal  purpose  of 
which  is  discussion.  It  is  always  well,  however,  for 
parents  to  bear  in  mind  that  children  do  feel  and 
think  and  understand  a  great  deal  more  than  they 
are  sometimes  given  credit  for.  Their  judgment 
may  not  be  so  valuable  as  that  of  their  parents,  but 
the  feeling  of  satisfaction  which  they  get  from  being 
asked  and  consulted  does  more  than  anything  else 
to  make  them  appreciate  their  share  in  family  life. 


64  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  About  what  does  the  home  center? 

2.  Write  a  paragraph  on  the  hearthstone  as  it  existed  in 
primitive  times. 

3.  What  was  the  outcome  of  meeting  together  around  the 
hearth  ? 

4.  How  did  primitive  men  regard  their  ancestors  ?     Why  ? 

5.  What  developed  out  of  the  guarding  of  the  hearth  ? 

6.  What  kind  of  feeling  did  a  member  of  a  tribe  hold  toward 
the  other  members  of  his  tribe  ?     How  were  strangers  regarded  ? 

7.  How  may  family  ties  be  strengthened  ? 

8.  Name  and  tell  about  a  certain  custom  of  the  Arabs  in 
regard  to  salt. 

9.  What  are  the  two  purposes  which  the  family  has  for 
assembling  at  the  table  ? 

10.  If  there  is  a  question  of  common  interest  to  be  asked  by 
the  boy  or  girl,  when  and  where  do  you  think  it  is  best  to  ask  it  ? 
Give  your  reasons  for  your  answer. 

11.  Do  you  observe  a  story  hour  in  your  home  ?  If  you  do, 
at  what  time  is  it .''     Who  reads  to  you  ? 

12.  Is  it  necessary  that  there  be  children  in  order  to  have  a 
story  hour  ?  What  can  be  done  in  the  homes  where  there  are  no 
children  ? 

13.  Do  you  think  that  the  younger  children  feel  that  the 
older  ones  look  down  on  them  ?     Why  ? 

14.  As  the  children  grow  older,  what  may  be  done  in  the 
evening  to  maintain  interest  in  a  family  reading  circle  ?  Why  is 
it  poor  policy  to  have  one  person  do  all  of  the  reading  ? 

15.  Make  a  Hst  of  the  books,  magazines,  etc.,  that  you  can 
get  for  your  reading  material. 

16.  Why  should  the  children  have  a  share  in  discussing  ques- 
tions relating  to  the  family  or  family  welfare  ?  What  advan- 
tages do  they  derive  from  being  allowed  this  privilege .'' 

17.  Why  is  the  family  council  important  ? 


HOME  AS   CENTER  OF   FAMILY  LIFE     65 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  At  what  meals  are  all  of  the  members  of  your  family 
present  ? 

II.  What  do  you  talk  about  at  mealtime  ? 

III.  Suppose  you  were  head  of  your  family:  (l)  Should 
you   talk    politics    at    meals  ?     (2)  Should    you    talk    religion  ? 

(3)  Should  you  talk  business  ?  (4)  Should  you  talk  about  the 
news  .? 

IV.  If  you  had  your  choice,  what  should  you  talk  about : 
(i)  To-night  at  supper?  (2)  To-morrow  at  breakfast?  (3) 
Make  a  list  of  the  things  you  would  like  to  talk  about  at  each 
meal  to-morrow. 

V.  Do  you  have  family  reunions  ? 

VI.  How  many  people  are  invited  ?     How  many  come  ? 

VII.  If  you  had  a  family  reunion,  how  many  people  should 
you  have  to  ask  ? 

VIII.  What  kind  of  stories  do  you  best  like  to  hear  ? 

IX.  Make  a  list  of  your  five  favorite  stories. 

X.  Suppose  you  were  reading  stories  to  a  little  girl  of  seven 
and  a  boy  of  ten  :  (i)  What  stories  would  you  read  them  at 
bedtime  ?  (2)  What  stories  would  you  read  them  on  Sunday 
morning  when  the  rest  of  the  family  was  away  at  church  ?  (3) 
What  stories  would  you  read  them  on  Saturday    afternoon  ? 

(4)  What  stories  would  you  read  them  in  the  spring,  when  the 
flowers  were  beginning  to  come  out  ?  (5)  What  stories  would 
you  read  them  in  the  late  fall  and  winter  ? 

XI.  Suppose  you  were  telling  instead  of  reading  stories  to 
the  little  girl  and  boy  in  question  X ;  what  differences  would 
you  make  in  your  answers  ? 

XII.  There  is  to  be  a  story  hour  in  your  home  this  Saturday 
evening:  (i)  You  have  been  asked  to  read  a  story  that  will 
not  take  over  fifteen  minutes.  (2)  You  have  been  asked  to  tell 
a  story.  (3)  You  have  been  asked  to  select  the  stories  that  are 
to  be  read  and  told. 


66  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

XIII.  There  is  to  be  a  story  hour  this  Saturday  evening: 
(i)  In  a  home  where  there  are  a  mother,  a  father,  an  older 
brother,  and  four  boys  and  girls  between  nine  and  sixteen  years. 

(2)  In  a  home  where  there  are  a  father,  a  mother,  and  three 
boys  and  girls  between  eighteen  and  twenty-four.  (3)  In  a 
home  where  there  are  four  little  girls.  (4)  In  a  home  where 
there  are  three  young  boys. 

XIV.  You  are  the  head  of  a  household  in  which  there  are 
two  boys  of  eight  and  twelve,  and  three  girls  of  five,  nine,  and 
fourteen:  (i)  Would  you  invite  all  of  the  children  to  a  family 
council .''  (2)  What  questions  would  you  discuss  in  a  family 
council  with  all  of  the  children  present  ?  (3)  Which  of  the 
children  would  benefit  most  by  a  family  council  ?  (4)  For 
which  would  a  family  council  be  uninteresting  ? 

XV.  You  are  placed  in  charge  of  your  own  home:  (i) 
Would  you  have  a  family  council  ?  (2)  Which  members  of 
your  family  would  you  consult  upon  questions  of  family  interest  ? 

(3)  Would  you  exclude  any  members  of  the  family  ?     Why  ? 

(4)  Make  a  list  of  the  questions  that  you  would  take  up  at  a 
family  council  this  week.  (5)  Make  a  list  of  the  questions  that 
you  think  should  be  brought  up  at  a  family  council  in  your  own 
home. 


CHAPTER  VII 
The  Home  as  a  Spirit  of  Fellowship 

I.    The  Spirit  of  the  Home  Is  Its  Greatest  Asset. 

—  No  matter  what  advantages  the  home  may  enjoy, 
if  it  lacks  in  spirit,  it  is  almost  worse  than  no  home 
at  all,  because  it  preserves  the  appearance  of  a  home 
without  its  reality.  It  is  a  sham,  —  "a  goodly 
apple,  rotten  at  the  heart." 

The  home  spirit  is  hard  to  describe,  but  it  is  easy 
to  recognize.  Enter  a  home,  and  you  feel  the  home 
spirit  at  once  if  it  is  there.  It  does  not  exist  in  the 
furniture,  the  cooking,  or  even  in  the  conversation. 
Instead,  the  furniture,  the  cooking,  and  the  conver- 
sation are  a  part  of  the  home  spirit.  It  is  every- 
where and  in  everything.  Once  you  feel  its  spell, 
you  feel  glad  that  you  are  alive,  and  alive  in  that 
particular  place. 

Home  spirit  shows  itself  to  outsiders  in  a  true 
hospitality.  To  the  members  of  the  family  it  means 
strong,  binding  family  ties.  There  is  nothing  in  the 
whole  countryside'  quite  so  warm  and  kindly  as  true 
hospitality.  The  people  of  the  South  have  always 
been    noted    for    their    open-hearted    generosity    to 

67 


68  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

strangers.  Hospitality  grows  in  regions  like  the  old 
South,  where  cities  were  few,  hotels  rare,  and  travelers 
scarce.  Men  and  women  made  every  effort  to  wel- 
come the  chance  guest,  and  to  make  him  feel  at 
home. 

True  hospitality  is  a  natural  feeling  toward  out- 
siders. Every  one  in  the  family  is  eager  to  entertain 
the  stranger.  True  hospitality  is  one  of  the  greatest 
assets  in  any  country  community,  because  it  is  an 
outward  indication  of  community  warm-heartedness. 

2.  Home  Spirit  Makes  Strong  Family  Ties.  — 
The  same  home  spirit  which  shows  itself  in  cordial 
hospitality  to  strangers  shows  itself  with  equal  power 
in  the  binding  family  ties  which  it  creates.  Where 
there  is  home  spirit,  there  the  members  of  the  family 
stand  together  for  the  home  and  for  each  other. 

People  who  live  in  fine  homes  are  loyal  to  their 
homes.  They  carry  their  home  spirit  into  the  neigh- 
borhood and  the  school.  They  will  listen  to  no 
slighting  remarks  about  their  homes.  They  believe 
in  them,  and  practice  loyalty  toward  them. 

Loyalty  to  the  home  finds  its  best  expression  in  the 
loyalty  of  one  member  toward  another.  Family 
loyalty  that  wears  itself  out  in  a  defense  of  the  home 
and  home  doings  possesses  no  great  value.  Only 
when  it  takes  the  form  of  active  help  for  other 
members  of  the  household  does  it  count. 

Instances  of  family  loyalty  are  almost  too  common 
to  need  mention.     There  is  hardly  a  family  in  which 


HOME  AS  A  SPIRIT  OF   FELLOWSHIP      69 

the  children  do  not  care  for  their  parents  when 
they  have  grown  too  old  to  work  for  themselves. 
The  old  people  have  done  their  share  in  raising  and 
educating  the  children,  and  it  seems  no  more  than 
just  that  the  children  should  in  return  take  care  of 
their  parents  when  they  can  no  longer  care  for 
themselves. 

Parents  make  innumerable  sacrifices  for  their 
children.  They  give  up  enjoyments,  and  even  the 
necessaries  of  life,  in  order  that  their  children  may 
have  necessaries,  education,  or  enjoyments. 

Brothers  and  sisters  take  care  of  one  another. 
From  the  time  when  they  carry  the  baby  or  take 
him  out  to  show  him  the  early  spring  flowers,  or 
the  big  rooster,  until  they  are  old  and  gray,  they 
stand  together.  A  sister  sends  her  brother  to  col- 
lege, or  a  brother  his  sister.  They  help  one  another 
over  the  hard  places  in  life  ;  they  counsel  and  guide 
one  another.  Family  members  stand  by  one  an- 
other because  of  the  feeling  of  fellowship  and  help- 
fulness that  the  family  has  created. 

Family  loyalty  is  one  of  the  strongest  of  social 
bonds.  It  holds  the  family  together,  and  gives  to 
each  of  its  members  an  interest  in  the  others  that 
stands  them  in  good  stead. 

3.  Comradeship  in  the  Home  Develops  Family 
Loyalty.  —  One  of  the  best  ways  of  developing 
family  loyalty  is  through  the  comradeship  of  parents 
and    children.     The   family   council   is    meaningless 


70  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

unless  it  is  based  on  a  feeling  of  comradeship.  The 
best  thoughts  and  the  clearest  ideas  should  be 
listened  to  and  acted  upon  in  the  family  council,  as 
in  any  other  meeting  place. 

Some  parents  act  as  if  they  thought  their  children 
were  inferior  to  them.  They  talk  down  to  the 
children,  and  condescend  in  other  ways.  They 
think  that  children  are  ignorant  or  unintelligent 
simply  because  they  are  children. 

Parents  usually  know  more  than  their  children. 
It  does  not  follow  that  they  have  better  judgment. 
Parents,  because  they  are  older,  have  had  more  ex- 
periences, seen  more  of  life,  and  had  more  facts 
brought  to  their  notice.  Then,  too,  they  have  been 
called  upon  many  times  to  exercise  judgment  by 
deciding  the  many  important  questions  that  come 
up,  sooner  or  later,  to  every  one.  The  extent  of  the 
parent's  experience  in  life  is  much  greater  than  that 
of  the  child,  because  he  has  had  more  years  in  which 
to  gain  experience. 

The  parent  is  older,  not  necessarily  better  than  the 
child.  His  wide  experiences  give  him  a  better  basis 
for  judgment,  but  his  attitude  toward  life  may  be 
biased  or  embittered  to  such  a  degree  that  he  will 
not  exercise  better  judgment. 

Still,  as  always,  it  is  true  that  out  of  the  mouths 
of  babes  proceed  words  of  wisdom.  That  does  not 
mean  that  all  children  are  wise.  It  does  mean  that 
youth  is  no  guarantee  against  wisdom. 


HOME  AS  A  SPIRIT  OF   FELLOWSHIP      71 

There  is  no  reason  in  the  nature  of  things  why 
children  and  parents  cannot  be  comrades.  The  child 
is  learning.  Soon  —  in  a  few  years,  at  most  —  he 
will  have  acquired  all  of  the  knowledge  and  experi- 
ence of  the  parent.  If  he  has  opportunities  equal 
to  those  of  the  parent,  he  will  acquire  more  knowl- 
edge and  experience,  since  each  day  that  passes  adds 
to  the  number  of  things  that  men  may  know. 

Children  are  able  to  be  comrades  with  their  parents. 
At  the  same  time  comradeship  helps  them  to  de- 
velop their  ideas,  and  to  direct  their  thinking  and 
living. 

No  boy  or  girl  will  go  freely  to  a  father  or  a  mother 
who  rules  the  house  with  a  rod  and  exercises  a  des- 
potic power  over  every  one.  Feelings  of  good  fellow- 
ship are  the  product  of  friendliness,  and  not  of 
punishment  and  severity.  There  are  times  when 
parents  must  be  stern  and  exercise  their  authority ; 
but,  in  the  main,  their  power  should  be  the  power  of 
love  and  good  fellowship  —  the  same  power  that 
one  friend  exercises  over  another.  In  a  home  where 
such  a  spirit  prevails,  the  parents  and  children  will 
be  found  to  understand  one  another,  and  to  treat 
one  another  as  equals  and  comrades. 

Comradeship  between  parents  and  children  has 
another  advantage,  —  it  makes  the  children  feel 
that  they  are  a  part  of  the  home  life.  Each  child 
has  ideas  about  the  way  things  should  be  done.  If 
he  is  consulted,  he  goes  on  thinking,  develops  more 


72 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


ideas,  and  thus  grows  in  his  abiUty  to  think  things 
out  —  the  most  valuable  of  all  mental   attainments. 
Comradeship  in  the  home  results  in  good  fellow- 
ship, in  cooperation,  in  enthusiasm  for  the  home  life, 

in  a  more  demo- 
cratic home  spirit, 
and  in  a  feeling  of 
loyalty  for  the  home 
and  home  people. 
Good  comradeship 
in  the  home  is  a  sure 
sign  of  a  good  home 
spirit. 

4.  Each  Person 
Can  Do  Something 
for  the  Home.  — 
That  idea  is  em- 
phasized by  family 
discussions,  and  by 
the  fellow-feeling 
among  the  members 
of  the  family.  Each 
person  can  do  some- 
thing for  the  home, 
and  the  successful 
home  is  the  home 
in  which  each  per- 
son is  doing  something  for  the  rest  of  the  family. 
Most  people  like  to  help.     Lending  a  hand  yields 


Each  person  can  do  something  for  the 
home. 


HOME  AS  A  SPIRIT  OF   FELLOWSHIP      73 

a  great  deal  of  satisfaction  both  to  the  lender  and 
the  person  who  is  assisted.  Helping  is  a  privilege 
that  is  often  highly  regarded. 

No  well-regulated  family  will  deny  to  its  mem- 
bers the  advantage  that  comes  from  being  helpful. 
Helpfulness  trains  the  helpful  person.  It  likewise 
binds  together  the  entire  family  with  the  strongest 
ties  of  fellow-feeling  and  mutual  understanding. 

The  burden  of  directing  the  help  in  the  home  falls 
on  the  mother.  Courage  and  cheerfulness  she  needs, 
for  her  tasks  are  often  exacting  and  wearing.  Her 
work  is  highly  useful,  however.  She  is  the  center  of 
the  home  spirit. 

Many  times  the  mother  says,  "  It  is  easier  for 
me  to  do  it  myself  than  to  get  Mary  to  do  it."  For 
the  time  being  that  may  be  true.  Finally,  however, 
when  Mary  has  learned  her  work  thoroughly,  she 
will  relieve  her  mother  of  that  part  of  the  household 
burden.  Even  though  it  is  much  more  difficult  for 
the  mother  to  persuade  Mary  to  do  the  work  than 
it  is  for  her  to  do  the  work  herself,  she  cannot  afford 
to  take  from  Mary  the  training  that  the  work  brings, 
nor  from  the  family  the  cementing  power  of  mutual 
helpfulness. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  Why  is  a  home  without  home  spirit  almost  worse  than  no 
home  at  all  ? 

2.  What  kind  of  spirit  prevails  in  your  home  .? 


74  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

3.  Can  you  tell  whether  or  not  there  is  home  spirit  in  the 
home  as  you  enter  it  ?     How  ? 

4.  What  is  the  importance  of  home  spirit  to  the  members  of 
the  family  ? 

5.  For  what  are  the  people  of  the  South  noted  ?  Can  you 
give  any  reasons  for  your  answer  ? 

6.  What  is  meant  by  true  hospitality  ? 

7.  What  makes  a  home  hospitable  ? 

8.  What  is  family  loyalty  ? 

9.  When  does  family  loyalty  count  ? 

10.  Name  some  instances  of  family  loyalty. 

11.  Why  do  parents  make  so  many  sacrifices  for  their 
children  ? 

12.  How  can  the  boy  or  girl  show  the  loyalty  he  or  she  has 
for  the  home  and  family  ? 

13.  What  is  there  about  family  loyalty  that  holds  the  family 
together  ? 

14.  How  may  family  loyalty  be  developed  ? 

15.  Why  do  som6  parents  look  down  upon  their  children  as 
inferior  to  them  ? 

16.  How  do  children  feel  when  the  parents  think  they  are 
inferior  ? 

17.  Make  a  list  of  the  reasons  why  parents  know  more 
than  the  children.  Does  knowing  more  mean  that  they  are 
better  ?     Explain  your  answer. 

18.  In  what  ways  does  comradeship  help  both  the  children 
and  the  parents  with  whom  the  children  are  comrades  ? 

19.  There  are  times  when  it  is  necessary  for  parents  to  be 
stern,  but  in  general,  what  kind  of  power  should  the  parents 
exercise  ? 

20.  Make  a  list  of  the  results  of  comradeship  in  the  home, 

21.  What  are  some  of  the  things  to  be  gained  by  each  one's, 
helping  in  the  home  ? 

22.  Why  do  you  think  the  mother  often  says  that  it  is  easier 


HOME  AS  A  SPIRIT  OF   FELLOWSHIP      75 

for  her  to  do  a  thing  herself  rather  than  ask  some  member  of  the 
family  to  do  it  ?     Has  she  ever  said  that  to  you  ? 

23.  What  do  you  gain  by  doing  the  tasks  your  mother  asks 
you  to  do  ?     What  does  the  family  gain  ? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  list  of  the  ways  in  which  the  home  spirit  could 
best  be  developed  in  each  one  of  the  following  homes:  (i)  A 
home  with  a  father,  mother,  and  two  children  of  four  and  six. 
(2)  A  home  with  a  father,  mother,  and  four  children  —  the 
youngest  eight  and  the  oldest  seventeen.  (3)  A  home  with  a 
father,  mother,  and  three  grown-up  children  —  the  youngest 
twenty. 

II.  Name  the  things  which  you  would  do  to  develop  home 
spirit  in  each  one  of  the  above  families:  (i)  During  the 
summer  months.     (2)   During  the  winter  months. 

III.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  which  you  think  would  result  in 
the  greatest  amount  of  home  spirit  in  your  home. 

IV.  Do  you  know  any  instances  of  home  loyalty?  (i) 
Loyalty  of  parents  to  children.  (2)  Loyalty  of  children  to 
parents.     (3)  Loyalty  of  children  to  each  other, 

V.  Tell  in  each  of  the  above  instances  the  reasons  why  the 
loyalty  exists. 

VI.  Do  you  know  of  any  instances  where'  family  loyalty 
learned  by  children  in  the  home  with  their  parents  has  been 
carried  by  them  into  the  homes  which  they  have  made  them- 
selves ? 

VII.  What  is  your  idea  of  comradeship  between  parents  and 
children  .'' 

VIII.  What  kind  of  comradeship  can  exist  between :  (i)  A 
father  and  a  baby  of  two  or  three  years  ?  (2)  A  father  and  a 
boy  of  ten  ?  (3)  A  father  and  a  boy  of  sixteen  ?  (4)  A  father 
and  a  daughter  of  seven  ?  (5)  A  father  and  a  daughter  of 
fourteen  ? 


76  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

IX.  Answer  the  above  questions  for  the  spirit  of  comradeship 
between  a  mother  and  her  children  at  each  of  the  designated  ages. 

X.  Name  some  of  the  indications  of  comradeship  between 
parents  and  children  which  you  have  seen  in  the  homes  of 
people  in  your  neighborhood. 

XI.  If  you  should  be  given  charge  of  your  own  home,  how 
would  you  go  about  developing  a  spirit  of  comradeship  between 
parents  and  children  ^ 

XII.  Do  you  believe  that  there  is  a  danger  that  children 
who  are  comrades  with  their  parents  take  unfair  advantage  of 
their  comradeship  ?     Do  you  know  of  any  instances  of  this  ? 

XIII.  Name  the  ways  in  which  you  think  children  can  be 
most  readily  made  to  feel  that  they  are  a  part  of  the  home  life. 

XIV.  Answer  the  above  question  for  children  of  twelve, 
thirteen,  and  fourteen. 

XV.  Answer  it  for  children  of  seventeen,  eighteen,  and 
nineteen. 

XVI.  Take  your  own  home  as  an  illustration,  and  make  a 
list  of  the  things  which  each  member  of  the  family  does  for  the 
other  members  of  the  family. 

XVII.  What  things  do  you  think  each  person  in  your  own 
home  should  do  for  the  other  members  of  the  family  .'' 

XVIII.  Suppose  you  were  in  charge  of  a  family ;  what  duties 
would  you  assign  to  each  member  of  the  family  in  each  of  the 
following  cases  ?  (i)  A  father,  a  mother,  and  two  babies. 
(2)  A  father,  a  mother,  baby,  and  boy  of  six.  (3)  A  father,  a 
mother,  a  girl  of  eight,  a  boy  of  six,  and  a  baby.  (4)  A  father, 
a  mother,  two  older  brothers,  and  a  sister  often. 

XIX.  How  would  you  modify  your  answers  to  questions  in 
Exercise  XVIII  if  there  was  a  maidservant  in  the  house  ?  If 
there  were  a  maidservant  and  two  men  working  on  the  place  ? 


CHAPTER   VIII 
The  Home  and  the  Neighborhood 

I.    The  Neighborhood  Is  Made  Up  of  Homes.  — 

Each  boy  and  girl,  each  man  and  woman,  is  a  member 
of  some  home.  The  success  of  the  home  as  a  spirit 
of  good  fellowship,  as  a  living  place,  and  as  a  working 
place  depends  upon  all  of  the  members  of  the  family. 
If  one  shirks  his  part,  all  suffer.  If  each  does  the 
best  he  can,  all  benefit.  The  home  is  built  upon  the 
lives  of  the  individuals  that  compose  it.  They  are 
the  home  in  its  home  sense. 

Homes  make  up  a  neighborhood  in  exactly  the 
same  way  that  individuals  make  up  homes.  The 
neighborhood  consists  of  a  group  of  homes,  and  the 
spirit  of  those  homes  make  the  spirit  of  the  neigh- 
borhood. 

Looked  at  from  the  other  side,  each  person  is  a 
citizen  of  the  neighborhood  in  exactly  the  same  sense 
that  he  is  a  citizen  of  the  home.  The  neighborhood 
is  really  a  larger  home,  to  which  every  one  living 
thereabouts  belongs. 

People  may  shirk  their  neighborhood  responsi- 
bilities just  as  they  may  shirk  their  home  responsi- 

77 


78 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


THE   HOME  AND  THE  NEIGHBORHOOD    79 

bilities.  They  may  pay  no  attention  to  neighbors 
and  neighborUness.  They  may  beheve  that  it  is 
none  of  any  one's  business  what  is  happening  to  the 
man  or  the  baby  on  the  back  road.  People  may  feel 
that  way  if  they  like,  but  if  they  do,  the  neighbor- 


"  That  is  a  fine-looking  neighborhood." 


hood  will  lack  the  spirit  of  neighborliness  which 
is  to  the  community  what  the  home  spirit  is  to  the 
home. 

Homes  make  the  neighborhood  in  two  ways : 
first,  by  their  appearanc-e,  and  second,  by  their 
attitude  or  feeling.  The  appearance  of  a  group  of 
homes  is  the  appearance  of  the  neighborhood.     In 


8o  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

driving  through  a  section  of  country  one  is  im- 
pressed by  the  whitewashed  fences,  the  well-con- 
structed farm  buildings,  the  neatness  of  the  fields, 
the  trim,  well-groomed  front  lawns,  the  hedges,  the 
shade  trees.  There  is  a  thought  that  comes  at  once 
to  a  person's  mind  :  *'  That  is  a  fine-looking  neighbor- 
hood. I  shouldn't  mind  living  somewhere  along 
here  myself."  The  neighborhood  is  attractive  be- 
cause each  homestead  is  attractive.  The  passer-by 
is  taken  with  the  group  picture  of  well-kept  homes. 

The  spirit  of  the  neighborhood  is  less  on  the  sur- 
face than  the  appearance,  but  it  is  even  more  impor- 
tant, particularly  to  the  neighbors.  When  you 
move  into  a  new  neighborhood,  it  makes  a  great  deal 
of  difference  to  you  how  the  neighbors  feel  and  act. 
If  they  are  cheery  and  good-natured,  you  are  ap- 
preciative and  glad.  If  they  are  aloof  and  distant, 
you  feel  the  coldness  and  dissatisfaction  of  this 
lack  of  neighborliness. 

2.  Each  Home  Should  Be  Neighborly.  —  There 
should  be  one  law  written  on  the  front  page  of  the 
life  of  every  home,  —  the  law  of  neighborliness. 

The  mother  can  be  neighborly.  She  can  lend  a 
hand  in  time  of  sickness  by  helping  a  neighbor  with 
the  work,  or  sending  to  her  some  little  delicacy  that 
shows  her  feeling  of  neighborliness.  She  can  help 
the  children  in  their  neighborhood  play  by  keeping 
an  open  house  for  them.  It  means  a  great  deal  to 
a  neighborhood  to  say  :  "  Oh,  yes  !    Mrs.   Wallace. 


THE  HOME  AND  THE  NEIGHBORHOOD  8i 

She's  always  glad  to  have  as  many  of  the  children 
as  will  stop  there  for  a  half  hour  on  their  way  home 
from  school.  She  goes  to  a  lot  of  trouble  for  them, 
too.  She  has  cookies  and  apples  to  eat,  she  plays 
some  records,  and  she  does  her  best  to  make  them 


There  are  many  ways  in  which  people  can  be  neighborly. 

feel  at  home."  Mrs.  Wallace,  on  her  side  says  :  "  I 
always  like  to  have  the  other  children  stop  in  to  see 
my  girls  and  boys.  It  helps  them  to  have  a  good 
time  together."  A  few  such  women  will  put  a  new 
spirit  into  the  dullest  neighborhood. 

The  spirit  of  the  neighborhood  is  also  seen  in  the 
life  of  the  farm.     Neighbors  lend  a  hand  to  the  man 


82  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

who  is  *'  short-handed."  In  some  neighborhoods, 
a  whole  valley  will  "  swap  time  "  at  harvest,  or  in 
the  filling  of  silos.  The  first  three  days  of  a  week, 
all  of  the  teams  and  men  go  over  to  neighbor  Brown's 
and  fill  his  silo.  The  last  three  days  they  fill 
Thomas's  silo,  next  door,  and  so  on  it  goes,  up  and 
down  the  valley,  until  all  of  the  silos  are  filled. 
Meanwhile,  the  men  have  worked  side  by  side, 
eaten  dinner  together,  talked,  laughed,  and  joked. 
At  the  end  of  the  silo-filling  season,  more  work  has 
been  done  than  each  man  could  have  accomplished 
working  on  his  own  place,  and  there  is  a  feeling  of 
good  fellowship  among  all  who  have  had  a  part  in 
the  work. 

The  cooperative  creameries,  fruit  growers'  associ- 
ations, market  gardeners'  associations,  and  the  like 
are  larger  examples  of  the  neighborhood  spirit. 
Expressed  in  a  word,  this  spirit  is,  —  all  hands  around 
for  the  neighborhood. 

3.  Any  Home  Can  Stimulate  Neighborhood  Life. 
—  There  are  many  ways  in  which  the  life  of  the 
neighborhood  can  be  brought  together  and  made 
worth  while.  One  of  the  oldest  ways  of  helping 
along  neighborhood  life  was  to  have  a  reading  circle, 
a  sewing  circle,  a  literary  circle,  or  a  debating  society 
meet  around  from  house  to  house,  once  a  week  or 
twice  a  month.  Then,  if  no  one  began  entertaining 
so  extensively  as  to  make  it  a  burden,  all  enjoyed 
the  neighborhood  spirit  which  entertaining  created. 


THE  HOME  AND  THE  NEIGHBORHOOD  83 

There  are  other  ways  of  starting  neighborhood 
Hfe.  One  man  may  whitewash  his  fences,  or  cut 
down  the  brush  and  brambles  along  his  lanes ;  or 
trim  out  beside  the  main  road,  or  paint  his  buildings, 
or  plant  out  his  front  yard  in  neat,  orderly  fashion. 
By  this  example  he  leads  every  one  else  to  do  the 


One  man  may  whitewash  his  fence. 

same  thing.  He  starts  the  idea  going,  and  the 
chances  are  that  unless  he  is  richer  than  his  neighbors, 
so  that  they  feel  unable  to  afford  what  he  has,  they 
will  follow  suit  and  the  whole  neighborhood  will  be 
built  up. 

A  good  illustration  of  what  one  family  can  do  for 
the  neighborhood  comes  from  Putman  County, 
Illinois,  where  John  Swaney  and  his  wife  gave  24 


84  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

acres  of  land  to  found  a  consolidated  school.  The 
tract  lies  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  nearest  village, 
and  ten  miles  from  the  nearest  town.  The  school 
itself  is  in  an  open  country  community  which  was 
originally  settled  by  a  band  of  Quakers. 

The  agitation  for  consolidation  in  Putman  County 
led  to  the  gift  of  the  24  acres  as  a  campus  for  a  local 
consolidated  school.  The  gift  was  generous  to  a 
degree  beyond  the  possibilities  of  most  country 
people,  yet  the  results  of  the  act  have  more  than 
justified  the  expectations  of  the  givers. 

The  community  banded  itself  together  to  erect 
a  school  property  worthy  of  the  campus  which 
John  Swaney  and  his  wife  had  provided.  The 
school  cost  ^15,000  equipped.  It  is  of  brick  with 
four  classrooms,  two  laboratories,  a  library,  offices, 
a  manual  training  shop,  a  domestic  science  kitchen, 
and  a  basement  playroom.  The  building  is  lighted, 
heated,  and  ventilated  in  the  most  modern  fashion. 
The  John  Swaney  School  thus  came  into  existence 
with  an  equipment  adequate  for  any  school  and 
elaborate  for  a  school  situated  far  from  the  channels 
of  trade  and  industry. 

The  course  of  study  organized  includes  all  of 
the  modern  specialized  work  which  the  effective 
city  school  is  able  to  do.  Securing  good  teachers 
and  possessing  unique  facilities,  the  school  carries 
boys  and  girls  through  a  series  of  years,  in  which 
intellectual,    experimental,    manual,    recreationary, 


THE  HOME  AND  THE  NEIGHBORHOOD  85 

and  social  activities  combine  to  make  the  school 
the  center  of  community  life  and  community  in- 
fluence. 

The  school  campus  is  used  as  a  laboratory  and  a 
playground.  The  trees  provide  subject  matter  for 
a  course  in  horticulture.  The  fertile  land  is  turned 
to  agricultural  use,  and  the  broad  expanse  of  twenty- 
four  acres  furnishes  additional  space  for  games  and 
sports. 

The  social  life  of  this  school  is  no  less  eff^ective 
than  is  its  location  and  equipment.  The  teachers' 
cottage,  an  old  school  building  converted  for  this 
purpose,  furnishes  a  center  for  the  life  of  the  teaching 
staffs,  and  makes  a  background  for  the  social  life 
of  the  entire  school.  There  are  two  strong  literary 
societies,  including  that  of  the  pupils  in  the  school. 
Each  year  plays  are  presented  on  the  school  stage. 
There  are  musical  organizations,  parents'  conferences, 
entertainments,  and  community  gatherings  of  all 
descriptions.  In  every  sense,  the  John  Swaney 
School  is  a  community  center. 

Prosperity  has  followed  in  the  wake  of  this  ed- 
ucational development.  The  John  Swaney  School 
is  known  far  and  wide,  and  consequently  farm  renters 
and  farm  buyers  alike  seek  the  locality  because  of 
the  educational  opportunities  which  the  school 
afi^ords  for  their  children,  and  because  of  the  social 
opportunities  which  the  community  around  the 
school  affords  for  them. 


86  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

4.  Neighbors  Can  Work  and  Play  Together.  — 
Neighborhood  Hfe  can  be  made  interesting  and 
attractive  for  every  one. 

The  task  of  making  a  good  neighborhood  is  exactly 
the  same  as  the  task  of  making  a  good  home.  People 
must  bear  and  forebear.     They  must  learn  to  under- 


Neighbors  can  work  and  play  together. 

Stand  one  another  and  to  put  up  with  queer  ways 
and  strange  ideas.  There  is  scarcely  a  home  in 
which  trouble  would  not  be  stirred  up  pretty  easily 
if  people  tried  to  misunderstand  one  another.  There 
is  not  a  neighborhood  where  trouble  cannot  be  made 
and  every  one  kept  unhappy. 

On  the  other  side,  in  nearly  every  home  there  is  a 
way  to  keep  the  family  together,  to  cement  the  home 


THE  HOME  AND  THE  NEIGHBORHOOD  87 

ties,  and  to  build  up  home  spirit.  The  same  thing 
is  true  of  the  neighborhood.  It  can  be  done  if 
people  are  of  a  mind  to  do  it.  The  neighborhood 
spirit  depends  on  the  neighbors  and  on  their  feelings 
for  one  another.  It  is  made  up  of  homes  and  people. 
Together  they  are  the  neighborhood. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  How   do   the   lives   of  individuals   compose   the   home? 
What  happens  when  some  one  shirks  his  part  ? 

2.  Of  what  does  the  neighborhood  consist  ? 

3.  In  what  ways  may  people  shirk  their  neighborhood  re- 
sponsibilities ? 

4.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  you  might  expect  to  find  in  an 
attractive  neighborhood. 

5.  In  order  that  the  neighborhood  be  attractive,  what  first 
must  be  done  to  the  home  ? 

6.  How  does  the  spirit  of  the  neighbors  affect  the  neighbor- 
hood ? 

7.  Make  a  list  of  the  ways  in  which  children  can  be  neigh- 
borly. 

8.  Make  a  list  of  the  ways  in  which  the  mother  can  be  neigh- 
borly. 

9.  Is  there  a  woman  like  Mrs,  Wallace  in  your  community  ? 

10.  Tell  how  the  spirit  of  the  neighborhood  is  shown  in  the 
life  of  the  farm. 

11.  What  are  some  of  the  older  ways  of  helping  along  neigh- 
borhood life  .? 

12.  What  are  some  of  the  newer  ways  ? 

13.  Tell  all  you  know  about  what  John  Swaney  and  his  wife 
did  for  a  neighborhood  in  Putnam  County,  111. 

14.  What  can  you  say  of  the  social  life  of  this  school .? 


88  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

15.  What  effect  would  a  school  like  that  established  by 
John  Swaney  and  his  wife  have  upon  farm  buyers  ? 

16.  Why  is  the  task  of  making  a  good  neighborhood  like 
that  of  making  a  good  home  ? 

17.  On  what  does  the  neighborhood  depend  ? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  rough  map  of  your  neighborhood,  showing : 
(i)  The  homes.  (2)  The  schools.  (3)  The  churches.  (4) 
The  villages  or  towns. 

II.  What  additions  might  be  made  to  your  neighborhood  : 
(i)  In  the  way  of  buildings.?  (2)  In  the  way  of  institutions  or 
community  centers  .? 

III.  Suppose  that  you  had  an  opportunity  to  replan  your 
neighborhood :  (i)  Where  would  you  change  the  roads  ? 
(2)  Where  would  you  locate  the  school.?  (3)  What  churches 
would  you  erect  and  where .?  (4)  Where  would  you  build  the 
houses  ? 

IV.  Name  the  things  that  should  be  chiefly  considered  in 
planning  a  neighborhood. 

V.  If  you  were  in  a  position  to  plan  the  layout  of  your  entire 
neighborhood,  how  would  you  arrange  it  ?  Draw  a  rough 
map,  showing  the  proposed  roads,  buildings,  farms,  and  the  like. 

VI.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  that  the  various  families  in 
your   neighborhood    are   doing   to   foster   neighborhood    spirit. 

VII.  Make  a  Hst  of  the  things  that  might  be  done. 

VIII.  What  could  your  own  home  do  to  stimulate  neighbor- 
hood spirit:  (i)  In  the  autumn.?  (2)  In  the  spring?  (3) 
Among  the  children  ?     (4)  Among  the  grown-ups  ? 

IX.  Suppose  you  were  the  head  of  a  family  in  your  neigh- 
borhood ;  what  would  you  do  to  stimulate  neighborhood  spirit : 
(i)  At  Christmas  time?  (2)  At  Easter?  (3)  On  the  Fourth 
of  July?     (4)   During  the  winter  months  ?     (5)  In  the  summer  ? 


THE  HOME  AND  THE  NEIGHBORHOOD  89 

X.  What  can  be  done  to  stimulate  neighborhood  spirit  by : 
(i)  The  school?     (2)  The  church?     (3)  The  grange? 

XI.  Are  the  children  in  your  school  neighborly  ? 

XII.  Are  the  people  that  you  see  going  to  and  from  school 
neighborly  ? 

XIII.  What  has  the  teacher  done  during  the  year  to  foster 
a  neighborly  spirit  among  the  children  ?  among  the  parents  ? 

XIV.  How  can  neighborly  ideas  best  be  taught  in  the  school  ? 
in  the  community  ? 

XV.  Write  a  composition  telling  why  you  like  to  be  neigh-^ 
borly. 


CHAPTER   IX 
The  School  Home 

I.  The  School  Is  a  Larger  Home.  —  It  is  the 
home  of  the  children.  It  is  the  home  where  the 
boys  and  girls  of  the  district  spend  a  great  part  of 
their  time  during  school  days.  Each  pupil  has  a 
part  in  the  work  and  the  play  of  the  school  home  in 
the  same  way  that  each  member  of  the  family  has 
a  part  in  the  work  and  the  play  of  the  home.  Upon 
the  willingness  and  gladness  with  which  each  one 
does  his  part,  the  spirit  and  success  of  the  school 
home  depend. 

The  teacher  is  the  school  mother.  It  is  to  her 
that  the  pupils  look  for  wise  direction  and  counsel 
and  understanding.  She  divides  the  work  and  tells 
each  one  what  he  has  to  do  just  as  one's  mother 
does  at  home.  She  leads  in  all  that  concerns  the 
welfare  of  the  school  home. 

When  boys  and  girls  think  of  the  school  as  another 
and  a  larger  home,  it  is  easy  to  understand  why 
they  should  always  be  loyal  to  it  and  bring  to  it 
their  very  best.  It  gives  a  reason  for  taking  good 
care  of  all   the   desks   and   maps   and   books.     For 

90 


THE   SCHOOL  HOME 


91 


like   their   own   home,    they   care   for   their   school 
home. 

The  school  home  exists  for  a  special  purpose,  that 
all  the  boys  and  girls  of  the  district  may  secure  an 
education.     Part  of  this  education  comes  from  the 


The  teacher  is  the  school  mother. 

study  of  books ;  part  of  it  comes  through  doing 
things  ;  and  another  large  part  comes  through  being 
a  member  of  the  school  family. 

2.  Some  Schools  Eat  a  Warm  Lunch  Together 
at  Noon.  —  Instead  of  taking  their  dinner  pails  and 
lunch  baskets  outdoors  and  eating  as  fast  as  possible, 


92 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


the  boys  and  girls  take  a  little  more  time  for  eating. 
Families  take  turns  sending  the  supplies  necessary 
for  cooking  soup  or  cocoa  or  something  warm  and 
nourishing  for  dinner,  and  the  big  girls  take  turns 
seeing  that  it  is  cooked. 


A  Homemade  Fireless  Cooker. 

In  one  country  school  a  twelve-year-old  girl  read 
in  a  farm  paper  on  the  reading  table  how  to  make  a 
fireless  cooker.  She  took  a  box  and  some  hay  and 
muslin  and  made  one  according  to  directions.  In 
this  the  school  often  cooked  rice  for  the  lunch. 

Where  schools  have  tried  this  warm  lunch  at  noon, 


THE   SCHOOL  HOME  93 

they  have  found  it  made  a  stronger  home  feeHng, 
besides  being  good  for  the  health  of  the  pupils,  and 
giving  a  chance  to  study  some  things  about  cooking 
and  about  good  table  manners. 

3.  Pupils  Can  Make  Many  Things  for  Their 
School  Home.  —  In  one  school  the  boys  made  a 
reading  table  from  pieces  that  were  left  over  in 
building  a  house  near  the  school.  They  stained  it  a 
pretty  brown,  and  on  it  they  put  many  farm  journals 
and  other  magazines  that  people  who  had  already 
read  them  gave  to  the  school.  These  boys  made  a 
rack,  too,  for  filing  farm  bulletins,  and  a  sand  table 
for  the  little  children. 

They  mended  a  place  in  the  fence  that  was  broken, 
and  made  a  cupboard  to  put  the  dinner  pails  away 
in.  The  girls  did  their  part,  too.  They  stenciled 
and  hemstitched  sash  curtains  for  the  windows. 
They  stretched  dark  green  burlap  in  one  corner  on 
the  wall  on  which  the  best  school  work  could  be 
mounted.  They  drew  each  month  a  pretty  calendar 
on  the  blackboard. 

When  they  had  finished  all  these  things,  their 
school  home  meant  much  more  to  these  boys  and 
girls  because  they  had  shared  in  making  it  home- 
like. In  every  school  there  is  a  chance  for  the 
pupils  to  help  by  making  things  that  are  needed. 

4.  Boys  and  Girls  Can  Keep  the  School  Home 
Clean.  —  To  do  this,  means  more  than  keeping  desks 
neat  and  scraps  picked  up  off  the  floor.     A  clean 


94 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


school  home  has  fresh  air,  plenty  of  light,  and  pure 
water. 

A  heating  and  ventilating  plant  will  provide  fresh 
air.     If  a  school  does  not  have  a  good  ventilating 


HBm 

K5fP^^ 

9k^      ,-*•             — >■ 

T          'f 

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i  ■ 
i 

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.     f 

A  Good  System  of  School  Ventilation. 

system,  boards  can  be  fitted  into  several  of  the 
windows  and  they  can  be  raised  at  recess  time  so 
that  the  air  in  the  room  can  be  entirely  changed. 
If  the  air  in  the  schoolroom  is  too  warm  and  is  im- 
pure, it  causes  dull  minds,  headaches,  and  sickness. 
School    wells    need    much    care.     After    standing 


THE  SCHOOL  HOME 


95 


during  vacations,  they  should  be  thoroughly  pumped 
out.  Pupils  should  not  drink  out  of  the  same  cup 
or  dipper.     A  drinking  fountain  or  individual  drink- 


Individual  drinking  cups  are  necessary  from  a  standpoint  of  cleanli- 
ness and  good  health. 

ing  cups  are  necessary  from  the  standpoint  of  clean- 
liness and  good  health. 

The  lighting  of  the  schoolroom  means  much  to 
the  comfort  and  happiness  of  the, school  home.  The 
north  light  is  especially  good.     It  is  always  desirable 


96  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

to  have  the  Hght  come  from  the  back  and  one  side 
over  the  left  shoulders  of  the  pupils.  If  the  win- 
dows are  on  opposite  sides  of  the  room,  shades  and 
sash  curtains  can  be  adjusted  so  there  will  not  be 
cross  lights. 

Even  though  a  schoolhouse  has  not  been  built 
with  modern  lighting  and  heating  plants  and  with 
the  latest  ideas  of  comfort  and  sanitation,  the  boys 
and  girls  can  do  much  to  make  it  so  clean  and  so 
livable  that  as  soon  as  any  one  enters  it,  he  feels  its 
home  spirit  and  recognizes  that  it  is  a  good  place  in 
which  to  live  and  study  and  keep  well  and  strong. 

5.  The  School  Home  Should  Be  Beautiful.  — 
Cleanliness  and  sanitation  are  the  fundamental  re- 
quirements. To  these  should  be  added  beautiful 
things.  The  boys  and  girls  can  keep  a  vase  on  the 
teacher's  desk  filled  with  wild  flowers  in  their 
season  —  from  the  earliest  violet  to  the  snow- 
caught  bittersweet  in  the  fall,  bringing  the  beauty 
of  the  out-of-doors  into  the  schoolroom. 

The  walls  should  be  a  plain  color.  On  the  walls 
should  be  hung  a  few  good  pictures.  A  mistake  is 
sometimes  made  in  having  too  many  pictures  that 
are  not  good  enough  in  quality.  Two  or  three 
copies  of  masterpieces,  framed  simply,  will  add 
much  to  the  beauty  of  the  schoolroom  and  make  it 
a  better  place  in  which  to  study. 

There  is  a  wonderful  opportunity  for  the  boys  and 
girls  to  help  make  their  school  grounds  more  beauti- 


THE   SCHOOL   HOME 


97 


ful  —  shade  trees  and  shrubs  and  flowers  and  vines 
will  grow  there  if  planted  and  cared  for,  and  the 
grounds  around  the  school  home  may  be  as  beautiful 
as  the  best-kept  home  grounds  in  the  district. 


The  school  home  should  be  beautiful. 


In  one  county  the  boys  and  girls  were  given  bulbs 
to  plant  a  tulip  bed  on  every  country  school  ground. 
They  planted  them  in  the  fall,  and  under  the  earth 
and  the  leaves  the  roots  were  growing  all  the  long 
cold  winter  months  —  and  early  in  the  spring,  when 
the  snow  had  just  gone  ofi^,  the  flowers  appeared  with 
their  burst  of  gold  and  crimson  beauty.     Each  year 


98 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


the  tulip  beds  are  bright  with  bloom,  bringing  anew 
their  message  of  courage  and  gladness.  These  boys 
and  girls  are  very  proud  of  their  tulip  beds  and  they 
have  been  the  inspiration  for  many  other  plans  for 
making  the  school  grounds  more  attractive. 


Making  a  School  Garden. 

A  plan  should  be  made  for  the  planting  of  the 
school  grounds,  and  year  by  year  this  should  be 
followed  out.  In  order  that  this  plan  may  be  the 
very  best,  pupils  can  consult  with  the  Extension  De- 
partment of  their  State  College  of  Agriculture,  who 
can  send  expert  information  about  the  planting  of 
grounds  in  such  a  way  that  the  laws  of  beautiful 


THE  SCHOOL  HOME  99 

arrangement  may  be  observed  and  the  right  varieties 
of  trees  and  shrubs  and  flowers  planted. 

Committees  can  be  appointed  for  taking  care  of 
the  grounds  during  the  summer,  so  that  the  things 
that  have  been  done  during  the  school  year  will  not 
be  lost  through  neglect.  In  this  way  the  school 
grounds  may  become  so  beautiful  that  every  one  in 
the  district  will  be  proud  of  them,  and  the  boys  and 
girls  who  have  helped  to  make  them  so  will  love  their 
school  home  for  which  they  have  done  so  much. 

6.  Each  Member  of  the  School  Family  Has  a 
Responsibility  towards  the  School  Home.  —  Only 
in  this  way  can  the  school  home  reach  its  best.  No 
boy  or  girl  who  is  old  enough  to  come  to  school  is 
too  young  to  take  a  share  in  helping  make  the  school 
all  that  it  is  possible  for  it  to  become  for  the  training 
of  lives.  But  on  the  older  pupils  there  is  the  added 
responsibility  that  comes  with  the  strength  and 
judgment  that  they  have  gained  through  living. 

Courtesy  and  kindness  and  a  fine  thoughtfulness 
for  the  common  good  and  an  active  working  for  it 
must  characterize  the  school  home  if  it  is  to  do  its 
best  work. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  Compare  the  school  and  the  home. 

2.  What  is  the  purpose  of  the  school  and  how  is  this  accom- 
plished ? 

3.  In  what  ways  does  a  warm  lunch  at  school  help  ? 


loo  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

4.  What  are  some  of  the  things  which  pupils  can  make  for 
their  school  home  ? 

5.  Why  do  you  think  it  helps  when  the  boys  and  girls  make 
things  for  their  school  home  ? 

6.  What  is  meant  by  a  clean  school  ? 

7.  How  can  good  ventilation  be  secured  for  a  school  ? 

8.  What  precautions  should  be  taken  about  the  water 
supply  ? 

9.  What  is  the  right  kind  of  lighting  for  a  schoolroom  ? 

10.  Tell  several  ways  in  which  a  schoolroom  can  be  made 
beautiful. 

11.  How  can  the  school  grounds  be  beautified  ? 

12.  Where  can  plans  for  planting  school  grounds  artificially 
be  secured  ? 

13.  How  can  the  grounds  be  cared  for  in  the  summer  ? 

14.  What  responsibility  have  the  boys  and  girls  who  are 
pupils  towards  their  school  home  ? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Do  you  think  of  your  school  as  a  larger  home  ? 

II.  Make  a  list  of  the  ways  in  which  your  school  is  home- 
Hke. 

III.  What  could  be  done  to  make  your  school  more  home- 
like:  (i)   By  the  pupils?     (2)   By  the  teacher? 

IV.  What  things  could  your  school  do  beside  teaching  the 
children  to  study  from  books  ? 

V.  What  are  some  of  the  things  which  you  think  a  school 
might  do  that  would  help  boys  and  girls  secure  an  all-round 
education  ? 

VI.  Study  your  schoolhouse,  (i)  Make  a  list  of  the  things 
that  the  boys  might  do  to  improve  its  appearance.  (2)  Make 
a  list  of  the  things  that  the  girls  might  do  to  improve  its  appear- 
ance.    (3)    Suppose  the  older  boys  and  girls  should  stay  after 


THE   SCHOOL  HOME  loi 

school  some  day  next  week ;  what  could  they  do  to  make  the 
school  more  homelike  ? 

VII.  Study  your  school  grounds.  Make  a  plan  to  scale  on 
the  blackboard  showing  the  location  of  the  school,  the  fences, 
trees,  etc. 

VIII.  On  another  blackboard,  draw  a  plan  showing  what 
improvements  might  be  made  to  the  school  grounds,  (i) 
Indicate  the  location  of  trees  and  shrubs  to  be  planted  oh  Arbor 
Day.  (2)  Show  where  flower  beds  and  paths  could  be  placed. 
(3)  Provide  for  a  playground.  (4)  Indicate  the  methods  to  be 
used  to  cover  up  ugly  spots  on  the  school  grounds. 

IX.  What  might  be  done  for  the  improvement  of  the  school 
grounds:,  (i)  This  spring?  (2)  During  the  fall?  (3)  Dur- 
ing the  winter  ?  (4)  What  could  be  done  by  the  boys  ?  (5) 
What  could  be  done  by  the  girls  ?  (6)  What  could  be  done  by 
the  parents  ? 

X.  Suppose  your  school  had  raised  $35  by  an  entertainment, 
to  be  expended  for  the  improvement  of  the  school.  If  you  had 
the  responsibility  of  spending  this  money,  what  would  you  plan 
to  do  with  it  ?  In  what  ways  would  you  have  the  pupils 
help  ? 

XI.  A  well-to-do  neighbor  offers  to  give  something  to  im- 
prove the  school  grounds.  Write  a  letter  to  him  suggesting : 
(i)  That  he  give  some  of  his  time  or  some  of  the  time  of  one  of 
his  hired  men  to  make  certain  improvements  to  the  school 
grounds.  (2)  That  he  give  lumber  or  other  building  materials 
with  which  the  older  boys  are  to  make  improvements.  (3) 
That  he  give  money.  Indicate  the  exact  nature  of  the  improve- 
ments that  will  be  made  by  this  money. 

XII.  With  your  own  school  as  it  is  at  the  present  time,  what 
would  be  the  best  plan  at  the  least  expense  to  the  district  for 
putting  in :  (i)  Satisfactory  heating  and  ventilating  appara- 
tus ?  (2)  Pure  water  and  some  kind  of  drinking  fountain  or 
individual    drinking    cups?     (3)  The    right    kind    of  lighting? 


I02  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

XIII.  List  the  most  beautiful  things  you  have  in  your  school- 
house  and  on  the  grounds. 

XIV.  What  would  be  the  first  thing  that  you  would  add  to 
make  them  more  beautiful  ? 

XV.  Draw  a  plan  of  your  school  grounds  as  they  are  at 
present.  Indicate  on  this  plan  the  changes  you  would  make 
and  the  additions  for  the  next  three  years. 

XVI.  Name  some  of  the  most  beautiful  things  you  have  seen 
in  the  yards  and  houses  of  your  district  which  might  be  dupli- 
cated at  school. 


CHAPTER  X 
Good  Books  and  Good  Reading 

I.  Books  Are  Friends. — Through  them  we  come 
in  touch  with  the  best  minds  and  the  greatest 
thoughts  of  all  time.  In  reading  them  we  share 
in  comradeship  with  the  greatest  men  and  women 
of  the  world.  No  one  is  ever  lonely  who  has  found 
the  friendship  of  books.  Some  one  has  said  :  "  Tell 
me  the  books  a  man  reads,  and  I  will  tell  you  what 
kind  of  man  he  is."  That  is  true  of  boys  and  girls 
everywhere. 

Country  boys  and  girls  are  fortunate  in  having 
time  to  read.  There  are  the  long  winter  evenings 
which  seem  to  call  us  to  the  books  we  love.  Then 
there  are  the  rainy  days  in  the  late  summer  when 
no  one  can  work  except  the  hired  man  who  tinkers 
up  the  harness  and  paints  the  wagon.  On  such  days, 
in  the  old  barn  up  in  the  haymow,  there  is  a  wonder- 
ful chance  for  reading  through,  uninterrupted,  *'  Scot- 
tish Chiefs,"  or  "  John  Halifax,  Gentleman,"  or 
"  Hans  Brinker,"  or  any  of  the  books  we  have 
found  to  be  real  and  interesting. 

Books  are  not  all  good.  Some  books  are  cheap 
and    trashy.     The    worst    trouble    in    reading    this 

103 


I04  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

kind  of  books  is  that  they  crowd  out  good  books 
and  spoil  our  appetite  for  the  best  hterature.  "  But 
these  are  such  exciting  books  of  adventure,"  a  boy 
will  say.  Or  a  girl  will  remark  that  she  is  just  '*  so 
much  interested  in  such  love  stories."  And  so  they 
go  on  reading  nothing  but  love  stories  and  adven- 
tures. 

There  are  books  of  adventure  and  love  stories 
written  by  the  master  writers  that  are  fine  and  real 
and  high  in  their  ideals.  When  boys  and  girls  be- 
gin their  friendships  among  books,  they  should  start 
with  these.  Then  they  will  have  no  trouble  with 
the  others.  Mothers  and  fathers,  teachers  and  libra- 
rians can  advise  what  books  are  good. 

In  making  friends  with  books,  every  boy  and  girl 
should  make  this  resolve  :  "  I  will  make  friends  only 
with  good  books  and  I  will  make  friends  with  all 
the  good  books  that  I  can." 

2.  Good  Books  Can  Be  Secured  in  Many  Places. 
—  In  every  school  there  are  textbooks  which  are 
the  basis  for  study.  These  are  especially  good 
friends  because  they  are  mastered  so  thoroughly. 

But  along  the  line  of  any  study  in  school,  not  all 
the  good  thoughts  and  the  truth  regarding  it  are  to 
be  found  in  one  textbook.  For  this  reason  many 
schools  have  libraries  in  which  may  be  found  sup- 
plementary books,  —  histories  and  physiologies  and 
geographical  readers  and  all  kinds  of  books  which 
will  give  a  broader  and  clearer  idea  of  the  subjects 


GOOD   BOOKS  AND  GOOD   READING     105 


County  assistant  checking  and  packing  a  box  for  a  county  station. 


Branch  library  at  a  trading  center  of  about  fifty  people. 


io6  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

that  are  being  studied.  These  supplementary  books 
should  be  used  a  great  deal  by  the  pupils. 

In  school  libraries,  besides  these  supplementary 
textbooks,  there  are  good  stories  and  poems,  books 
of  travel,  biographies,  and  histories.  Such  books 
teach  many  things  outside  of  school  work. 

Almost  every  town  has  a  free  library  and  many 
states  furnish  free  traveling  libraries.  Never  has 
there  been  such  a  chance  for  securing  good  books 
to  read.  Any  country  boy  or  girl  who  desires  to 
read  good  books  can  secure  them  at  little  expense 
and  without  going  very  far  for  them. 

3.  Country  Boys  and  Girls  Are  Specially  Inter- 
ested in  Country  Life  Literature.  —  They  want  to 
read  all  that  is  best  in  the  world  of  books  but  they 
must  not  fail  to  include  in  their  reading  those  books 
and  bulletins  that  concern  the  country.  There  are 
many  such  books  now  and  their  number  is  constantly 
increasing,  as  country  life  grows  better  and  more 
and  more  writers  are  coming  to  appreciate  its  possi- 
bilities. 

Free  Farmers'  Bulletins  that  are  exceedingly  in- 
teresting and  very  helpful  in  a  practical  way  can 
be  secured  from  the  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture  at  Washington  and  from  the  state 
Universities  and  Colleges  of  Agriculture.  The  United 
States  Bureau  of  Education  is  publishing  very  help- 
ful bulletins  now,  too. 

Every  country  school  and  country  home  should 


GOOD   BOOKS  AND  GOOD   READING     107 

have  a  classified  set  of  these  bulletins,  dealing  with 
local  problems.  They  have  been  written  by  experts 
and  can  be  depended  upon  to  give  the  best  and  most 
up-to-date  information  in  the  practical  subjects 
with  which  they  deal.  Bulletins  can  be  secured 
on  almost  every  subject  that  concerns  a  country 
community.  A  list  of  the  subjects  of  all  such  bulle- 
tins can  be  secured  on  request  and  one's  name  can 
be  placed  on  the  mailing  list  for  the  announcement 
of  all  future  bulletins  that  are  published  from 
time  to  time. 

4.  There  Is  Much  of  Help  and  Interest  in  Farm 
Journals  and  Magazines  and  in  the  Newspapers. 
—  Every  country  boy  and  girl  should  keep  up  to 
date  by  reading  some  of  the  best  periodicals.  Any 
young  person  who  does  not  read  the  papers  and 
magazines  is  seriously  handicapped  because  he  is 
out  of  touch  with  what  is  going  on  in  the  world. 

There  are  some  very  good  farm  journals  these 
days  which  deal  with  the  things  country  people 
are  most  vitally  interested  in.  Every  one  who  lives 
in  the  country  will  want  to  keep  in  touch  with  at 
least  one  of  these.  The  best  magazines,  too,  are 
considering  more  and  more  subjects  and  current 
events   that    concern    country    people. 

In  order  to  keep  in  touch  with  what  is  happen- 
ing in  the  county,  state,  and  nation,  country  boys 
and  girls  must  read  the  local  newspaper  and  some 
good    daily.     Some    farm    homes    have    very    little 


io8 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


reading  matter  in  them.  Boys  and  girls  from  these 
homes  must  make  the  very  most  of  their  advantages 
for  reading  at  school  and,  as  far  as  they  can,  should 
help  secure  books  and  papers  for  their  homes.  For 
to  be  well  read  is  to  be  in  touch  with  all  the  best 
thought  of  the  day  and  every  country  boy  and  girl 

can  be  well  read  if  in 
earnest  in  his  desire  for 
this. 

5.  Reading  Must  Be 
Done  with  a  Purpose.  — 
It  is  not  the  number  of 
books  and  papers  that  we 
read  that  counts.  It  is 
the  kind  and  the  way  in 
which  we  read  them.  To 
know  well  a  few  books 
and  to  have  gained  from 
them  all  that  they  have 
to  give  us  is  far  better 
than  to  have  skimmed 
through  a  great  many. 
The  greatest  men  and  women  the  world  has  ever 
known  mastered  a  few  books  and  made  them  real 
friends. 

To  know  a  few  books  well  and  to  apply  all  that  we 
read  to  our  own  everyday  lives  is  what  counts.  A 
young  hired  man  once  brought  a  prize-winning 
sample  of  corn  to  the  Farmers'  Institute  Corn  Show. 


Read  with  a  purpose. 


GOOD   BOOKS  AND  GOOD   READING     109 

This  young  man  had  never  had  a  chance  to  go  to  an 
agricultural  college  or  even  to  a  short  course  to  study 
corn  judging,  yet  he  had  selected  his  corn  more 
intelligently  than  many  who  had  been  instructed  in 
the  selecting.  When  he  was  asked  how  he  knew 
so  much  about  selecting  a  good  sample  of  corn,  he 
replied  :  "  I  learned  all  I  know  through  reading  about 
it.  I  just  got  all  the  bulletins  and  premium  lists 
I  could  that  told  how  to  select  corn  and  then  used 
what  I  had  read."  He  had  read  with  a  purpose 
and  gained  much  for  his  everyday  life  through  this 
reading. 

Some  boys  and  girls  have  a  notebook  and  make 
notes  on  the  things  they  read,  writing  down  the 
authors,  some  of  the  best  quotations,  and  any 
other  things  they  want  especially  to  remember. 
This  helps  to  fix  in  their  minds  the  best  things. 
This  plan  or  any  other  plan  which  adds  depth  and 
purpose  to  our  reading  is  of  value.  When  some- 
thing very  beautiful  is  found  in  a  book,  it  is  best 
of  all  to  memorize  it.  Then  it  belongs  to  a  person 
and  will  remain  for  him  to  think  of  and  use  all 
through  life. 

6.  It  Is  a  Help  to  Have  a  Library  of  One's  Own.  — 
There  are  many  books  that  are  available  these  days 
that  we  do  not  have  to  own  ourselves  but  when  we 
find  a  book  that  means  much  to  us,  we  shall  wish 
to  own  it  so  that  we  can  read  it  more  than  once  and 
have  it  always  at  our  hand. 


no  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

A  library  can  be  started  with  only  a  few  books,  — 
two  or  three  that  'are  the  best  one  has  ever  read. 
To  these  can  be  added  a  few  each  year,  until  some 
day  we  shall  have  around  us  many  of  these  book 
friends  that  can  be  turned  to  for  companionship  and 
knowledge  and  practical  help. 

In  this  library,  a  boy  or  girl  can  keep  a  file  of 
farm  bulletins  and  a  book  in  which  are  pasted 
clippings  from  papers  that  are  of  interest. 

It  is  certain  that  a  person  can  have  no  greater 
resource  on  which  to  draw  than  to  have  read  real 
good  things  and  have  these  to  turn  to  whenever 
needed. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  Of  what  use  are  books  ? 

2.  Describe  the  kind  of  books  which  boys  and  girls  should 
read. 

3.  Should  pupils  study  more  than  their  textbooks  ? 

4.  Where  can  books  be  secured  ? 

5.  What  kind  of  books  are  of  special  interest  to  country  boys 
and  girls  ? 

6.  What  are  farm  bulletins  and  where  can  they  be  ob- 
tained ? 

7.  Of  what  value  are  farm  journals  and  magazines  ? 

8.  Why  should  boys  and  girls  read  the  newspapers  ? 

9.  What  counts  for  the  most  in  reading  ? 

10.  How  can  a  boy  or  girl  apply  what  is  read  ? 

11.  Do  you  think  it  is  helpful  to  record  what  is  read  ? 

12.  What  is  the  use  of  starting  a  library  of  one's  own  ? 


GOOD   BOOKS  AND  GOOD   READING     iii 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  list  of  all  the  books  that  you  have  read. 

II.  Which  of  these  do  you  like  best  and  why  ? 

III.  Write  a  letter  to  a  friend,  describing  your  favorite  book. 

IV.  Write  a  story  on  "My  Favorite  Book."  (i)  "My 
Favorite  Book  of  Fiction."  (2)  "My  Favorite  Biography." 
(3)  "My  Favorite  Book  of  Travels."  (4)  "My  Favorite 
Textbook."     (5)  "My  Favorite  Book  on  Country  Life." 

V.  Give  an  illustration  of  the  way  in  which  some  book  that 
you  have  read  has  helped  you:  (i)  In  your  studies  at  school. 
(2)  In  your  experience  with  other  people.  (3)  In  your  experi- 
ence with  life. 

VI.  Do  you  know  of  any  book  that  describes:  (i)  Scenes 
such  as  those  with  which  you  are  familiar  ?  (2)  People  with 
whom  you  are  acquainted  ?     (3)  Your  own  experiences  ? 

VII.  Which  of  the  books  that  you  know  makes  things  seem 
most  real  ?     Why  ? 

VIII.  Where  can  the  boys  and  girls  in  your  school  district 
secure  good  books  to  read  ? 

IX.  From  the  books  in  your  school  library  which  the  teacher 
recommends  make  a  list  of  those  which  you  have  not  read. 

X.  Suppose  you  were  helping  to  direct  the  reading  of  the 
boys  and  girls  you  know:  (i)  What  general  advice  would 
you  give  them  about  reading .?  (2)  What  books  would  you 
recommend  to  a  boy  ten  years  old  }  fourteen  years  old  ?  A 
girl  ten  years  old  ?  fourteen  years  old  .''  (3)  Where  would  you 
tell  them  to  get  these  books  ?  (4)  If  they  were  not  interested, 
how  would  you  go  to  work  to  interest  them  ?  (5)  What  would 
you  advise  them  as  to  starting  a  library  ?  (6)  What  magazines 
and  newspapers  would  you  recommend  to  them  ? 

XI.  Get  lists  of  the  bulletins  published  by  the  Department 
of  Agriculture  at  Washington  ;  by  the  State  College  of  Agricul- 
ture,    (i)  Which  of  these  bulletins  apply  particularly  to  the 


112  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

locality  in  which  you  live  ?  (2)  Get  a  bulletin  on  local  soils. 
Examine  it  and  find  out  what  it  says  about  the  soil  on  your  farm. 
(3)  Read  one  of  the  bulletins  on  local  conditions  and  write  a 
brief  essay  telling  about  it.  (4)  Read  one  of  the  bulletins  on 
local  conditions  and  tell  the  class  what  it  contains. 

XII.  Do  you  know  of  any  people  who  read  farm  bulletins  ? 
Why  do  they  read  them  ? 

XIII.  Do  you  know  of  any  people  who  have  been  helped  by 
farm  bulletins  .''     In  what  ways  have  they  been  helped  ? 

XIV.  Make  a  list  of  all  the  farm  journals  that  you  know, 
(i)  Which  of  these  journals  do  you  read  .''  (2)  Which  do  you 
like  best.?  Why.?  (3)  What  is  the  best  thing  that  you  have 
seen  in  a  recent  issue  of  a  farm  journal  ? 

XV.  If  your  school  had  $25  to  spend  in  buying  books  for  a 
school  library  and  it  was  purposed  to  secure  books  that  would  be 
helpful  to  every  one  living  in  the  district,  what  twenty  books 
would  be  your  choice  ? 

XVI.  If  your  father  and  mother  can  spend  ^10  each  year 
for  reading  matter,  what  should  you  like  to  have  on  the  list 
for  the  coming  year,  taking  into  consideration  the  interests  and 
needs  of  the  whole  family  .? 


CHAPTER  XI 

Learning  Teamwork  at  School 

I,    There    Is    Happiness    and    Success    in    Doing 
Things    Together.  —  Learning    to    do    things    with 


Doings  Things  Together. 

Other  people  is  one  of  the  greatest  lessons.     School 
is  the  first   place   in  which   boys   and  girls  have   a 
I  113 


114  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

chance  to  learn  this  lesson  and  it  is  one  of  the  most 
important  parts  of  the  education  which  school  can 
give. 

The  whole  idea  of  school  is  based  on  belief  in  the 
value  of  teamwork.  There  is  no  place  for  selfish- 
ness in  a  school.  Teamwork  must  always  be  the 
rule  if  the  school  is  to  succeed. 

There  are  many  interesting  things,  besides  the 
ordinary  classwork  and  program  of  the  school, 
which  boys  and  girls  can  do  together  there.  Some 
schools  make  model  farms  —  about  five  feet  square, 
planning  the  fields  and  the  crop  rotation  for  each  for 
five  years,  putting  in  the  fences  and  the  telephone 
and  the  house  and  barn  and  silo.  In  Montana, 
they  even  put  in  the  irrigation  system.  In  the  mak- 
ing of  this  farm,  every  pupil  contributes  some 
thought  or  plan  or  skill  in  workmanship.  When 
it  is  finished,  it  is  the  product,  not  of  one  boy  or  girl, 
but  of  the  best  efforts  of  the  whole  school.  It  is 
the  result  of  teamwork. 

Schools  can  make  wonderful  collections  together, 
too,  of  native  woods,  of  wild  flowers,  of  weed  seeds, 
or  of  minerals.  In  such  collections  every  one  can 
have  a  part.  Where  boys  and  girls  work  together 
much  finer  collections  can  be  made  than  where  one 
works  alone.  -  . 

2.  Boys  and  Girls  Learn  to  do  Things  Together 
by  Playing  Together.  —  The  best  kind  of  games 
are  those  games    that  require   teamwork.     No  one 


LEARNING  TEAMWORK  AT  SCHOOL     115 

member  of  the  team  can  think  of  personal  success. 
All  think  of  the  success  of  the  team. 

A  game  that  is  played  by  teams  always  has  cap- 
tains and  sides  and  a  score.  There  are  a  great  many 
such  games  that  can  be  played  at  recess  and  noon 
on  a  country  school  ground.  The  best  known  are 
baseball,  basket  ball,  and  volley  ball. 

School  work  can  be  planned  to  develop  team 
work.  Did  your  school  ever  choose  sides  for  spell- 
ing or  ciphering  or  for  geography  or  reading .?  If 
it  has,  you  know  what  fun  it  is  sometimes  to  have 
teamwork  in  school  lessons.  Through  it  comes  the 
lesson  that  for  either  side  to  win  every  person  on 
that  side  must  take  a  creditable  part ;  that  one  per- 
son cannot  win  alone. 

Sometimes  schools  are  divided  in  two  sides  with 
leaders  for  giving  programs.  Or  the  schoolroom 
and  grounds  may  be  divided  to  see  which  division 
can  be  kept  the  neatest.  And  always  there  comes 
the  same  lesson.  It  takes  every  one  working  to- 
gether to  succeed.  The  leader  alone  cannot  make 
his  side  the  best. 

3.  All  Must  Join  in  Heartily  if  Games  Are  to 
Succeed.  —  Every  boy  and  girl  has  tried  to  get  up 
a  game  with  some  one  in  the  crowd  who  says : 
"  Oh  !  that  is  no  fun  !  "  "  Don't  let's  play."  "  I'm 
tired  of  that !  "  No  game  can  go  on  with  such  a 
boy  or  girl  around.  They  must  either  leave  the 
crowd  or  else  the  fun  and  spirit  of  the  game  are  sure 


ii6 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


to  be  spoiled.  No  boy  or  girl  can  afford  to  be  a 
"  pull-back "  unless  the  thing  that  the  crowd  is 
going  to  do  seems  to  him  to  be  wrong. 


The  world  likes  "  boosters." 


The  world  likes  "  boosters."  The  "  booster  " 
is  just  the  opposite  of  the  ''  pull-back."  He  sees  a 
chance  in  everything. 

The  "  booster  "  leads  the  crowd  because  he  can 


LEARNING  TEAMWORK  AT  SCHOOL     117 

look  ahead,  pick  out  something  for  the  crowd  to  do, 
and  then  help  along  until  they  do  it. 

The  "  booster  "  begins  games.  He  knows  good 
games ;  he  enjoys  playing  them ;  and  he  gives  a 
part  of  his  enthusiasm  to  others.  He  keeps  the 
crowd  interested  and  lively.  He  has  new  ideas  and 
new  suggestions.  As  soon  as  people  are  tired  of 
one  thing,  he  has  another  ready  at  hand. 

The  ''  booster  "  is  the  man  who  helps  out  in  the 
neighborhood.  Some  one  suggests  a  camp  meeting, 
a  picnic,  or  a  family  reunion.  The  "  booster " 
goes  to  work  on  it.  He  talks  it  up ;  writes  letters 
about  it ;  and  has  notices  put  in  the  papers.  He  is 
full  of  the  idea  and,  in  a  short  time,  he  has  the  whole 
community  full  of  it,  too.  He  never  stops  to  think 
of  failure.  If  any  one  suggests  that  the  thing  will 
not  succeed,  the  "  booster "  answers,  "  Just  you 
wait  and  see  !  "  He  says  it,  too,  in  a  tone  of  enthu- 
siasm and  vigor  that  sometimes  convinces  even  the 
doubter  and  the  "  pull-back." 

The  "  booster  "  is  always  looking  ahead,  asking 
himself,  '*  Well,  what  shall  we  do  next  ? "  He 
sees  things  in  the  future  that  other  people  do  not 
see  because  they  forget  to  look  for  them. 

The  "  pull-back  "  has  his  eyes  over  his  shoulder. 
He  is  constantly  pointing  backward,  and  talking 
about  "the  good  old  times."  He  shakes  his  head 
sadly  when  anything  new  is  mentioned.  For  him, 
good  times  are  past  times.     The  future  is  a  blank  wall. 


ii8  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

The  *'  booster  '*  looks  over  his  shoulder  once  In 
a  while  to  take  in  the  landscape  and  see  how  things 
are  back  there,  but  most  of  the  time,  he  is  busy- 
looking  forward.  And  such  a  jolly  time  as  he  has, 
wondering,  searching,  and  planning.  He  sees  that 
the  things  that  are  coming  will  be  the  best  things 
if  some  one  makes  them  the  best,  so  he  sets  out  to 
do  it. 

Things  center  around  the  "  booster."  People 
look  to  him,  for  ideas  and  help.  They  come  to  ask 
him  what  he  sees,  and  go  away  glad  that  they  came. 
The  *'  booster,"  with  his  forward  look,  is  a  prophet 
and  a  worker  for  the  better  things  that  are  to  be. 

The  person  who  is  continually  finding  fault  with 
the  community  in  which  he  belongs  is  never  in  great 
demand.  The  boys  and  girls  who  find  fault  with 
their  schools,  the  citizens  who  find  fault  with  their 
government,  and  the  church-goers  who  object  to 
the  conduct  of  their  church,  always  leave  a  bad  taste 
in  the  mouth  of  those  to  whom  they  talk.  On  the 
other  hand,  people  are  glad  to  meet  any  one  who  has 
a  good  word  to  say  about  the  institutions  with  which 
he  is  connected. 

The  "  boost  "  idea  carries  with  it  the  thought  of 
making  the  most  of  the  good  things  of  the  com- 
munity and  as  speedily  as  possible  doing  away  with 
the  bad  things  of  the  community.  Every  com- 
munity has  its  good  points.  They  are  the  things 
most    worth    talking    about,    outside    of   that    com- 


LEARNING  TEAMWORK  AT  SCHOOL     119 

munity.  Every  community  has  its  bad  points. 
They  are  the  things  against  which  each  community 
should  work  with  all  of  the  vigor  at  its  command. 

4.  In  Team  Work  There  Is  Always  Considera- 
tion for  Others.  —  Good  sportsmanship  is  unself- 
ish and  just  in  its  appreciation  of  good  work  by 
whomever  that  work  may  be  done.  It  cheers  good 
playing  done  by  the  other  side.  It  is  thoughtful 
always  of  the  weaker  and  less  efficient  members. 

Perhaps  real  teamwork  shows  itself  most  clearly 
in  a  school  in  the  way  the  boys  and  girls  treat  the 
smaller  children  or  any  pupil  who  is  handicapped 
by  being  slow  to  learn  or  who  takes  part  poorly  in 
the  games. 

A  good  team  is  always  loyal  to  the  captain  and 
does  not  question  the  decision  of  the  umpire.  So 
the  team  spirit  of  a  school  is  shown  in  its  attitude 
to  the  teacher,  who  is  the  leader  of  the  school.  A 
fine  loyalty  and  respect  and  unquestioned  accept- 
ance of  her  decisions  show  thata  pupil  is  playing  his 
part  well  in  the  school. 

5.  Through  Working  Together  It  Is  Possible  to 
Make  a  Record  for  the  School.  —  As  a  part  of  the 
school  community  each  pupil  should  do  his  best  to 
make  a  record  for  the  school.  It  is  true  that  the 
record  of  a  school  depends  to  a  large  degree  upon  the 
boys  and  girls  of  the  school. 

If  all  the  pupils  stand  for  thorough  scholarship, 
high  standards  of  behavior,  the  right  kind  of  work 


I20 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


and  play  and  loyalty  to  their  school  and  teacher,  It 
is  possible  to  make  a  splendid  record  for  the  school. 
Almost  every  country  school  has  a  certain  standing 
in  its  community.  Some  districts  are  proud  of  their 
school  because  of  the  record  it  has  made  and  the  kind 
of  work  it  does.     Other  districts  are  not  so  proud 


A  School  Exhibit. 


of  their  school  because  somehow  the  school  has  not' 
learned  the  lesson  of  teamwork  and  play.  Every 
boy  and  girl  in  the  country  school  should  work  to 
bring  up  the  standing  of  the  school  in  the  com- 
munity. The  school  is  theirs.  Its  record  is  their 
record.     If  it  makes  a  high  score  in  the  things  that 


LEARNING  TEAMWORK  AT  SCHOOL     121 

a  school  stands  for,  it  will  be  because  all  the  pupils 
in  the  school  have  learned  how  to  take  their  part  on 
the  school  team  and  work  earnestly  and  unselfishly 
for  the  good  of  the  whole  school. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  Why  is  it  important  to  learn  to  do  things  together  ? 

2.  In   what  ways   is   school    based   on   the    idea   of  team- 
work ? 

3.  Make  a  list  of  some  of  the  things  that  schools  can  do 
together. 

4.  What  is  the  value  of  playing  together  ? 

5.  What  kind  of  games  teach  the  most  about  playing  to- 
gether ? 

6.  Name  some  of  the  best  games  for  teamwork. 

7.  How  can  the  apparatus  be  secured  for  these  games  ? 

8.  Why  do  you  think  it  is  important  that  pupils  should  play 
games  at  recess  and  noon  ? 

9.  Tell   ways   in   which    school    work    can    develop    team- 
work. 

10.  What   are  the  characteristics  of  good   sportsmanship  ? 

11.  What  is  a  "pull-back".''      How  does   he  influence  the 
community  ? 

12.  What  is  a  "booster"  ?     How  does  he  influence  the  com- 
munity .? 

13.  Why  does  the  world  like  boosters  ? 

14.  How    does    real    team    spirit    show    itself    best    in    a 
school  ? 

15.  How  is  the  team  spirit  of  a  school  shown  in  its  relation- 
ship to  the  teacher  ? 

16.  Upon  what  does  the  record  of  a  school  depend  .? 

17.  How  can  a  school  make  a  good  record  ? 


122  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  list  of  all  the  things  which  your  school  does  to- 
gether. 

II.  Explain  how  the  rules  of  your  school  are  based  upon  the 
need  that  exists  for  doing  things  together. 

III.  If  your  teacher  should  ask  each  pupil  in  the  seventh  or 
eighth  grades  to  suggest  one  thing  that  your  school  could  do 
together  that  you  have  not  done,  what  would  you  suggest .'' 

IV.  What  games  does  your  school  play  ?  Do  all  the  pupils 
take  part .?  What  new  games  would  you  suggest  that  they 
might  enjoy .?  Could  you  teach  them  how  to  play  these  new 
games  ? 

V.  If  you  were  planning  for  the  placing  of  a  baseball  dia- 
mond and  a  basket  ball  court  on  your  school  ground,  where 
would  you  locate  them  ? 

VI.  If  your  school  ground  is  too  small  to  provide  for  a  larger 
play  space,  is  there  any  way  in  which  room  for  play  can  be 
obtained  ?     (i)  Will  the  school  commissioners  buy  extra  ground  .? 

(2)  Will  any  farmer  in  the  neighborhood  give  a  piece  of  land  .? 

(3)  Will  the  parents  in  the  neighborhood  club  together  to  buy 
a  piece  of  land  .'' 

VII.  Your  school  has  decided  that  it  should  have  additional 
room  for  play.  Plan  out  a  campaign  which  would  aim  to  secure 
this  play  space,  (i)  How  would  you  start  such  a  campaign? 
(2)  Who  would  be  called  upon  to  do  the  work.''  (3)  How 
would  you  advertise  it  ?  (4)  To  whom  would  you  appeal  for 
funds  or  land  ?  (5)  Whom  would  you  put  on  the  committee  to 
work  up  the  project  ?  (6)  What  would  you  ask  for  ?  (7)  Plan 
for  a  public  meeting  in  which  the  whole  question  is  to  be  brought 
up. 

VIII.  Write  a  short  essay  on:  (i)  The  life  of  the  best 
"booster"  in  the  neighborhood.  (2)  The  life  of  the  best 
"booster"  in  the  school. 


LEARNING  TEAMWORK  AT  SCHOOL     123 

IX.  Suppose  that  you  were  given  charge  of  your  local  school : 
(i)  What  would  you  do  to  make  it  the  best  school  in  your 
section  of  the  country  ?  (2)  What  would  you  do  to  make  it 
the  most  effective  in  bringing  up  the  standards  of  the  scholars  ? 
(3)  What  would  you  do  to  give  it  the  greatest  influence  with 
the  homes  in  the  neighborhood  ?  (4)  What  would  you  do  to 
make  the  school  the  most  use  to  the  older  people  ? 

X.  You  have  made  up  your  mind  to  do  everything  in  your 
power  to  improve  the  conditions  in  your  neighborhood,  (i)  To 
what  people  would  you  go  for  help  ?  (2)  What  would  you  ask 
each  one  of  them  to  do  ?  (3)  What  would  you  try  to  do  your- 
self ?  (4)  To  what  organizations  would  you  turn  ?  What 
part  should  you  expect  each  one  of  them  to  play  ? 

XI.  Write  a  letter  to  a  friend  urging  him  to  become  a 
"booster." 

XII.  State  ways  in  which  the  older  pupils  in  your  school 
could  do  more  for  the  younger  children. 

XIII.  Do  the  best  players  in  your  school  use  the  baseball 
grounds  to  the  exclusion  of  those  who  cannot  play  so  well  ? 

XIV.  Write  up  a  set  of  rules  for  the  use  of  your  baseball 
diamond,  (i)  Try  to  give  the  younger  boys  a  chance.  (2) 
Try  to  give  every  boy  an  opportunity  to  get  some  baseball 
practice.  (3)  Allow  time  enough  for  the  better  players  who  are 
on  the  team  to  get  their  practice. 

XV.  Try  to  write  a  school  song,  a  school  yell,  a  school 
watchword. 

XVI.  Write  a  brief  essay  about  the  person  in  your  school 
who  shows  the  most  team  spirit. 

XVII.  Describe  the  record  which  your  school  has  now;  state 
how  it  is  known  in  the  district ;  tell  how  this  record  might  be 
improved. 


CHAPTER  XII 
The  School  and  the  Community 

I.  The  School  Is  Closely  Related  to  the  Farms 
and  the  Homes  of  the  District.  —  It  exists  to  train 
better  farmers,  better  home  makers  and  better  citi- 
zens. The  things  a  boy  or  girl  does  at  home,  if 
done  in  the  right  way,  are  quite  as  much  a  part  of 
their  education  as  the  things  done  at  school.  Because 
of  this,  many  country  schools  are  now  giving  credit 
at  school  for  home  work,  —  for  milking  the  cows, 
washing  the  dishes,  getting  the  meals,  plowing  a 
field,  —  if  it  is  done  well. 

From  this  same  idea  of  the  educational  value  of 
work  at  home  has  grown  the  movement  of  Boys' 
and  Girls'  Clubs.  Schools  help  to  interest  boys  and 
girls  to  undertake  these  club  projects  at  home  and 
to  carry  them  through.  There  are  thousands  of 
girls  and  boys  in  Corn  Clubs,  Tomato  Clubs,  Garden- 
ing Clubs,  Canning  Clubs,  Bread  Clubs,  Pig  Clubs, 
and  so  forth.  Those  making  the  best  record  in  each 
state  have  been  given  trips  to  the  National  Capital 
at  Washington. 

Many  wonderful  records  have  been  made.     Walker 

124 


THE   SCHOOL  AND  THE   COMMUNITY     125 


Members  of  the  Boys'  Clubs. 

Lee  Dunston,  of  Alabama,  grew  two  hundred  and 
thirty-two  bushels  of  corn  on  an  acre  and  Eloise 
Parsons,  of  Iowa,  cleared  ^143.24  on  a  tenth  of  an 


126 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


acre  of  tomatoes.  In  all  this  club  work  accurate 
record  has  been  kept  of  the  cost  of  growing  the  crop 
and  of  the  total  income  from  the  product ;  and  a 
story  of  how  the  crop  was  grown  has  been  written. 


If  you  have  ever  had  experience   in  raising  poultry,  it  is  not  hard  to 
'  write  something  interesting  about  it. 

It  has  been  a  great  education  to  link  up  the  home  and 
the  farm  and  the  school  in  this  way. 

2.  Country  Schools  Should  Teach  about  Country 
Things.  —  The  best  country  school  is  one  that 
fits  itself  to  the  needs  of  country  boys  and  girls  and 
country  people.     Such  a  school  finds  lessons  in  corn 


THE   SCHOOL  AND  THE  COMMUNITY     127 

and  in  clover  and  in  the  wonderful  things  all  around 
in  the  country. 

Compositions  can  be  based  on  farm  and  home  sub- 
jects. It  is  not  hard  to  write  well  about  the  things 
we  know  and  are  interested  in.  So  country  boys  and 
girls  enjoy  writing  on  farm  and  home  subjects.  If 
you  have  ever  had  experience  in  raising  poultry, 
it  is  not  hard  to  write  something  interesting  about  it. 
If  you  know  just  the  way  that  the  kitchen  of  a  country 
home  should  be  planned  in  order  to  save  time  and 
work,  you  like  to  tell  about  that.  Each  country 
boy  and  girl  has  some  pet  theme  or  hobby,  about 
which  he  can  write  and  talk  interestingly.  The 
right  kind  of  school  leads  to  a  more  intelligent  under- 
standing of  the  country  and  its  problems. 

Arithmetic  problems  can  deal  with  farm  crops 
and  other  matters  of  farm  interest.  Country  boys 
and  girls  should  learn  how  to  solve  the  kind  of  prob- 
lems that  come  up  at  home.  They  should  know  how 
to  tell  the  number  of  bushels  of  corn  in  a  crib,  or  wheat 
or  oats  in  a  bin  ;  how  to  figure  up  scale  tickets  ; 
how  to  keep  records  of  the  cost  of  growing  crops  ; 
how  to  estimate  the  cost  of  tilling  a  field  and  of  filling 
a  silo.  The  chief  business  of  country  school  arith- 
metic is  to  teach  country  boys  and  girls  how  to  solve 
the  problems  that  are  met  with  every  day  in  the 
course  of  country  life. 

Manual  training  in  country  schools  can  train  for 
country  tasks.      Manual   training  is    considered  an 


128 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


Training  for  Country  Tasks. 


THE   SCHOOL  AND  THE  COMMUNITY     129 


important  part  of  education.  It  is  that  training 
which  teaches  a  person  to  do  things  skillfully  with 
his  hands.  Once  there  were  some  people  who 
thought  that  all  education  consisted  in  learning  from 
books.  They  believed  only  in  training  the  head. 
Now,  we  believe  that  the  ideal  education  is  that  of 
the  three  "H's,"— the 
education  of  the  Head, 
the  Hand,  and  the 
Heart. 

To  train  the  hands 
of  country  boys  and 
girls,  work  should  be 
given  that  they  can 
use  in  the  country.  In 
some  country  high 
schools,  blacksmithing 
is  taught  and  the  plan- 
ning of  model  farm 
buildings. 

The  splicing  of 
ropes,  making  of  rope 


1  he  splicing  of  ropes  and  tying  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  handy  farm  knots 
afford  excellent  manual  training. 


halters,  and  tying  different  kinds  of  handy  farm  knots 
afford  excellent  manual  training  and  can  often  be  used 
to  advantage  on  the  farm.  On  one  farm  the  hay  rope 
broke  in  the  midst  of  the  haying.  There  seemed 
nothing  to  do  except  to  stop  work  and  lose  the  time 
of  all  hay  hands,  while  some  one  went  to  town  for  a 
new  rope.      Just   then  the   farmer's  son    came  into 


I30 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


the  barn  and  said  :  "  I  can  splice  the  rope  in  a  few 
minutes  so  it  will  be  as  good  as  new.  I  learned  how 
at  school  last  week."  And  that  farmer  believes  now 
in  his  school  more  than  ever  before. 

Girls  can  learn  how  to  make  devices  for  lightening 
the  labor  at  home  and  how  to  make  things  that  are 


The  school  must  express  the  life  of  the  farms  and  the  homes  in 

the  district. 


beautiful   and   useful   in   a   country  home.     Sewing 
is  only  one  part  of  the  manual  work  that  will  benefit 
a  country  girl.     She  has   many  tasks  that   require 
nimbleness  of  finger  and  quickness  of  eye  and  hand. 
Reading  and  current  events  should  consider  the 


THE  SCHOOL  AND  THE  COMMUNITY     131 

farm  and  the  home.  In  fact  there  is  no  subject  in 
the  whole  course  at  school  which  should  not  be 
studied  with  regard  to  the  country  surroundings  of 
the  school.  Geography  should  take  up  first  of  all 
the  study  of  the  school  district.  History  should 
begin  with  the  -community  in  which  the  school  is 
located. 

The  school  must  express  the  life  of  the  farms  and 
the  homes  in  the  district.  Only  in  this  way  can  it 
give  the  best  training  for  life  to  the  boys  and  girls 
who  attend  it ;  only  in  this  way  can  it  be  of  the  great- 
est real  service. 

3.  The  School  Belongs  to  the  Community.  —  A 
larger  part  of  the  taxes  paid  on  the  property  in  the 
district  goes  to  support  the  school  than  for  all  other 
things  put  together.  Yet  assessors  say  that  very 
few  people  ever  complain  about  paying  the  school 
tax. 

Because  the  school  belongs  to  the  people  and  is 
supported  and  directed  by  them,  it  owes  the  greatest 
possible  service  not  only  to  the  boys  and  girls  who 
go  to  school  but  to  the  entire  community.  The 
community-serving  school  that  helps  the  farms  and 
the  homes  of  the  district ;  that  touches  every  life 
in  the  district ;  that  leads  in  the  building  up  of  a 
community  spirit  and  in  the  strengthening  of  every 
community  interest,  uniting  the  people  of  the  district 
in  working  for  the  best  things  is  the  kind  of  school 
that  country  people  are  asking  for  to-day. 


132 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


4.    The   Country  School  Can   Help  the   Farms  of 
the  District.  —  There  are  many  ways  in  which  they 


Many  country  schools  test  the  seed  corn  for  the  farmers. 

can  do  this.     Many  country  schools  test  the  seed 
corn  for  the  farmers.     Cook  County,   Illinois,   has 


THE  SCHOOL  AND  THE  COMMUNITY     133 

led  in  this  work.  The  corn  has  been  brought  in 
from  all  the  farms  to  the  schoolhouse,  where  it  has 
been  numbered  and  tested  for  germination,  and  only 
the  ears  having  a  perfect  germination  test  are  planted 
on  the  farms  of  the  district.  Information  as  to  the 
best  way  of  testing  seed  corn  was  secured  from  the 
most  reliable  sources,  and  the  work  done  systemati- 
cally and  thoroughly,  so  that  the  results  could  be 
depended  upon. 

In  one  school,  weed  seeds  were  identified  ;  and 
when  clover  or  alfalfa  seed  was  bought  for  planting 
on  any  of  the  farms  of  the  district,  a  sample  was 
brought  to  the  school,  and  if  any  bad  weed  seeds, 
such  as  quack  grass  or  Canadian  thistle,  were  found 
in  it,  the  purchaser  was  told  of  it,  so  that  the  seed 
could  be  returned  and  the  district  saved  from  being 
troubled  with  these  weeds. 

5.  The  Country  Schoolhouse  Is  the  Center  of  Com- 
munity Life.  —  It  belongs  to  every  one  and  should 
be  used  more  than  the  school  time  hours.  It  should 
be  the  general  public  meeting  place  for  the  district. 
It  is  the  place  for  elections  and  telephone  meetings. 
In  it  can  be  held  literary  societies,  debates,  lecture 
courses,  and  Farmers'  Clubs. 

Certain  events  may  come  to  be  celebrated  annually 
at  the  schoolhouse,  and  so  community  customs  be 
established  which  will  create  a  love  for  the  district 
and  a  loyalty  to  neighbors.  Such  a  custom  has  been 
established    in    one    country    school    district,    where 


134 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


each  spring  a  dinner  is  given  at  the  schoolhouse  in 
honor  of  the  people  who  have  newly  come  to  the  com- 
munity. 

Some    country   schoolhouses    are    not   very  well 
fitted  for  community  gatherings.     More  and  more  as 


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An  Annual  Celebration  at  the  Schoolhouses. 


we  see  their  value,  schoolhouses  will  be  built  with 
this  purpose  in  mind,  and  so  the  school  can  serve 
the  whole  district  as  a  meeting  place. 

The    school    library   can    serve    the    community. 
Every  one  should  be  encouraged  to  draw  out  books 


THE  SCHOOL  AND  THE  COMMUNITY    135 

from  it.  Circulating  libraries  on  subjects  of  local  in- 
terest should  be  established  at  the  school  for  the  use  of 
the  community.  It  should  always  be  possible  to  se- 
cure the  latest  information  from  farm  bulletins  here. 
Information  in  regard  to  the  reading  courses  planned 
by  the  United  States  Commissioner  of  Education 
should  be  available  at  the  school  for  the  use  of  all 
who  might  be  interested  in  them. 

Often  the  school  may  be  used  as  a  medium  for  the 
exchange  of  good  books  between  the  people  of  the 
district.  It  is  certain  that  it  can  give  great  service 
as  the  center  for  distributing  and  making  available 
the  best  reading  for  the  community. 

Many  country  people  are  working  to  make  the 
school  the  center  of  community  life.  This  ideal, 
too,  is  one  which  country  boys  and  girls  should  cherish 
as  they  work  together  for  their  school. 

If  there  are  men  or  women,  no  matter  how  old, 
in  the  district  who  have  never  learned  to  read  or 
write,  the  school  belongs  to  them,  and  there  they 
can  come  at  night  to  learn  the  things  they  did  not 
have  a  chance  to  learn  when  they  were  young.  In  this 
way,  hundreds  of  older  men  and  women  have  learned 
to  read  and  write  in  the  "  Moonlight  Schools  " 
held  in  the  country  schoolhouses  of  Rowan  County, 
Kentucky. 

If  there  are  young  men  and  young  women  living  in 
the  district  who  have  dropped  out  of  school  and  are 
working,   the    school  is    theirs  whenever    they  can 


136 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


use  it  for  good  times,  for  singing  schools  or  for  literary 
societies  that  will  help  them  to  continue  learning 
about  things. 

It  is  the  center  to  which  farmers  can  come  to  talk 
over  better  methods  of  agriculture   and   to  which 


A  "  Moonlisht  School." 


mothers  can  come  to  talk  together  of  the  problems 
of  home  making. 

So  country  boys  and  girls  should  work  for  "  The 
School  at  the  Center,"  the  school  that  is  the  common 
meeting  place  for  all,  the  school  that  is  truly  at  the 
very  center  of  all  community  life. 


THE   SCHOOL  AND  THE  COMMUNITY     137 


Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1 .  For  what  does  the  country  school  exist  ? 

2.  How  are  the  things  done  at  home  a  part  of  a  boy's  or  a 
girl's  education  ? 

3.  Tell  about  Boys'  and  Girls'  Clubs  and  some  of  the  records 
made  in  them. 

4.  How  can  language  be  related  to  country  life  ?  Give  a 
list  of  subjects  for  compositions  that  are  about  the  farm  or  the 
farm  home. 

5.  Explain  how  arithmetic  can  be  made  to  fit  the  country 
needs. 

6.  What  is  manual  training  ?  Is  it  an  important  part  of  an 
education  ? 

7.  What  kinds  of  manual  training  are  especially  useful  for 
country  boys  and  girls  .'' 

8.  Tell  how  geography  and  history  can  be  made  to  fit  the 
needs  of  the  school  district. 

9.  What  reading  should  be  encouraged  in  a  country  school  ? 

10.  To  whom  does  the  school  belong  ? 

11.  What  service  does  the  school  owe  to  the  district  ? 

12.  Why  should  the  school  be  used  for  more  than  school 
hours  ? 

13.  What  kinds  of  meetings  can  be  held  at  the  schoolhouse  .'' 

14.  What  is  the  value  of  the  custom  of  observing  certain 
annual  events  at  the  school  ?     Give  an  illustration. 

15.  How  should  the  needs  of  the  whole  district  be  considered 
in  planning  the  schoolhouse  ? 

16.  What  is  meant  by  "the  school  at  the  center"  ? 

17.  What  use  may  the  farmers  make  of  the  school  building  .? 

18.  What  use  may  the  mothers  make  of  the  school  building  .'' 

19.  How  can  country  boys  and  girls  help  make  the  school  the 
center  for  the  community  life  ? 


138  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  list  of  the  home  work  for  which  you  think  school 
credit  should  be  given. 

II.  Send  to  the  United  States  Secretary  of  Agriculture  for 
bulletins  in  regard  to  Boys'  and  Girls'  Club  Work,  and  their 
printed  report  of  the  work  for  the  past  year,  (i)  What  part  of 
the  material  is  of  interest  in  your  community  .''  (2)  What  part 
of  it  might  be  used  advantageously  in  the  improvement  of  the 
farms  in  your  community?  (3)  Have  any  of  the  suggestions 
already  been  in  practice  on  your  own  farm  ?  (4)  Write  an 
essay  telling  the  advantages  of  work  done  by  the  Agricultural 
Department. 

III.  What  was  the  record  of  the  prize  winners  in  the  Boys' 
and  Girls'  Clubs  of  your  state  the  past  year?  (i)  How  many 
were  enrolled  ?  (2)  How  many  were  enrolled  in  your  county 
and  what  was  the  highest  county  record  ?  (3)  Who  were  en- 
rolled that  you  knew  ?     (4)  Who  from  your  school  district  ? 

IV.  If  there  has  never  been  any  organization  of  Boys'  and 
Girls'  Clubs  in  your  neighborhood:  (i)  What  kind  of  club 
should  you  prefer  to  organize  ?  (2)  Get  from  the  State  Agricul- 
tural College  a  statement  showing  the  ways  in  which  such  clubs 
are  organized.  (3)  Draw  the  plan  for  the  organization  of  a 
club  in  connection  with  your  school.  (4)  Which  people  in 
your  community  would  take  the  most  interest  in  helping 
such  a  club  to  get  to  work  ?  (5)  How  many  of  the  children 
in  the  school  are  interested  in  the  organization  of  Boys*  and 
Girls'  Clubs  ? 

V.  In  which  subject  connected  with  the  work  of  your  home 
and  your  home  farm  are  you  most  interested  ?  Write  a  short 
theme  on  it. 

VI.  Write  an  arithmetic  problem  based  on  some  transaction 
which  has  taken  place  on  your  own  farm. 

VII.  Work  out  a  method  for  keeping  account  of  the  costs  of 


THE   SCHOOL  AND  THE  COMMUNITY    139 

farming,  (i)  Plan  a  blank  form  in  which  there  will  be  on  one 
side  space  for  the  items  of  expense  and  on  the  other  side  space 
for  the  returns  secured  (Dr.  and  Cr.).  (2)  Make  an  account 
showing  expenses  and  receipts  from  a  certain  crop  on  your  farm. 
(3)  From  a  certain  field.  (4)  From  a  dairy.  (5)  For  the 
canning  of  fruit  or  vegetables.  (6)  For  bread  making.  (7) 
For  the  home  garden  or  truck  patch.     (8)   For  the  entire  farm. 

VIII.  Give  a  brief  description  of  some  poem  about  the  coun- 
try that  you  have  read. 

IX.  Give  a  brief  description  of  some  story  about  the  country 
that  you  have  read. 

X.  Write  a  poem  and  a  story  reflecting  the  spirit  of  country 
life. 

XI.  Who  are  the  officers  of  the  school  ? 

XII.  What  does  each  of  the  school  officers  do  ?  (i)  What 
are  the  official  duties  .?  (2)  What  things  do  the  officers  of  the 
school  do  other  than  their  official  duties  ? 

XIII.  Draw  a  plan  of  your  schoolhouse  as  it  is.  (i)  How 
many  people  will  it  seat .''  (2)  Can  desks  be  moved  .?  (3)  Are 
there  good  lights  for  evening  meetings  ?  (4)  Are  there  horse 
sheds  and  hitching  posts  ? 

XIV.  What  improvements  could  be  made  in  each  of  these 
respects  .>* 

XV.  Draw  another  plan  showing  your  ideal  of  a  schoolhouse 
for  the  use  of  the  people  as  a  community  center.  Indicate 
on  the  plan:  (i)  The  different  rooms.  (2)  The  heating  and 
ventilating  system.  (3)  The  cloak  room.  (4)  The  windows. 
(5).  The  kind  of  furniture.  (6)  The  number  and  position  of 
benches. 

XVI.  How  many  people  besides  the  pupils  have  been  in  your 
schoolhouse  in  the  past  year?  (i)  How  many  of  these  people 
were  adults  .?  (2)  How  many  were  parents  of  the  children  in 
the  school  ?     (3)  Why  did  they  come  ? 

XVII.  Make  a  plan  for  getting  people  interested  in  coming 


I40  COMMUNITY  CiVlCS 

together  at  your  schoolhouse.  (i)  At  what  times  of  the  year 
would  you  have  the  meetings  ?  (2)  On  what  occasions  ? 
(3)  What  hoHdays  would  you  celebrate  by  meetings  at  the 
school  ?     (4)  What  would  you  do  at  the  meetings  ? 

XVIII.   Write   a   short   composition,   giving  your   ideas  of 
"Our  School  at  the  Center." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

School  Work  and  Life  Work 

I.  The  School  Prepares  for  Life.  —  In  fact,  it 
not  only  prepares  for  life,  it  is  a  part  of  life.  Through 
this  school  part  of  life,  a  life  with  wider  boundaries 


jiBfc_^ 

-T"  ;-5^                         ^^ 

2^"^''-'^ 

m^: 

^  ^?^.\^W  S 

sLJt. 

KmS^  "^imK/BBmr           yH^ 

^P^li'  .^^^Ki 

HH 

tfS  JHb^^^^^HB^4h 

.i^^^Ml^^^^^H^M 

The  school  prepares  for  life. 

and  greater  depths  opens,  bringing  with  it  a  greater 
chance  for  service.  This  is  possible  because  of  the 
preparation  school  has  given. 

At  first  a  boy  or  girl  has  only  a  responsibility  as  a 

141 


142  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

part  of  his  home  and  then  of  his  school.  Soon, 
however,  he  must  bear  responsibihty  as  a  part  of 
his  school  district  and  his  township  and  county. 
And  eventually,  he  jnust  take  a  part  as  a  citizen  of 
the  United  States  and  of  the  world. 

In  order  to  do  his  part  well,  he  must  have  thought 
and  studied.  Perhaps,  it  would  help  in  understand- 
ing the  relationship  of  school  work  and  life  work, 
if  the  meaning  of  education  is  considered.  There 
have  been  many  definitions  given  for  it  but  the 
farmer  who  said  at  a  meeting  in  his  schoolhouse  one 
night :  "  It  seems  to  me  after  all  our  talk,  that  an 
education  is  just  one  simple  thing.  It  is  what 
teaches  a  person  how  to  live,"  came  as  near  to  the 
truth  as  any  one  could. 

An  education  teaches  us  how  to  make  the  most  of 
life.  It  gives  us  judgment  about  people.  It  brings 
us  appreciation  of  all  that  is  true  and  beautiful.  It 
fits  us  to  make  a  living.  It  helps  us  to  know  right 
standards.  It  prepares  us  to  live  —  soberly,  right- 
eously, and  godly. 

This  is  the  way  to  measure  an  education  and  by 
such  an  understanding  of  education,  the  work  of  a 
school  should  be  planned. 

2.  Education  Takes  Drudgery  from  Work.  —  A 
father  once  wished  very  much  that  his  son  might  go 
to  the  State  College  of  Agriculture. 

"  Why  should  you  send  him  away  to  school  to 
learn  about  farming .? "   a  neighbor  asked.     "  You 


SCHOOL  WORK  AND  LIFE  WORK        143 

are  a  good  farmer.  Can't  you  teach  him,  yourself, 
the  things  you  know  ?  " 

*'  Yes,"  the  father  answered,  "  I  suppose  I  could 
teach  him  the  way  to  do  things  on  the  farm,  but  I 
want  him  to  understand  the  reason  down  under- 
neath.    It  will  make  the  corn  rows  shorter  for  him." 

This  father  understood  that  an  education,  bring- 


Education  takes  drudgery  from  work. 

ing  out  the  reasons  back  of  doing  things,  makes  a 
person  use  his  mind  as  well  as  his  muscle  and  takes 
away  the  monotony  from  everyday  work.  It  adds 
a  song  and  makes  the  rows  shorter.  It  brings  the 
joy  of  the  master  workman. 

The  same  thing  is  true  about  an  education  in  its 
relation  to  home  work.  A  country  girl  in  writing 
about  "  The  Right  Way  to  Do  Common  Things  " 


144  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

was  describing  just  how  to  wash  dishes.  When  she 
had  finished  telHng  the  easiest  and  most  sanitary 
way,  she  added,  "  And  if  you  wash  dishes  in  this 
way,  I  hope  you  will  enjoy  it  as  much  as  I  do." 
Now  anything  which  has  the  power  to  make  washing 
dishes  and  doing  the  other  kinds  of  everyday  work 
in  such  a  way  that  it  makes  girls  enjoy  doing  it  is 
a  wonderful  thing.  This  is  just  what  the  right  kind 
of  education  does. 

Education  makes  the  rows  shorter  in  our  work 
because  it  adds  the  zest  of  knowing  just  how  to  do 
things  and  why  to  do  them  in  a  certain  way.  It 
trains  our  intellect  to  work  with  our  hands. 

3.  School  Work  Gives  the  Reason  for  Efficient 
"Ways  of  Doing  Work.  —  Experience  teaches  how  to  do 
things  in  an  efficient  way  and  in  a  way  that  will  get 
results.  But  it  is  a  costly  teacher  and  when  we  have 
learned  through  experience,  it  is  still  impossible  to  give 
a  reason  for  the  conclusion  to  which  we  have  come. 

A  fine  farmer  once  asked  a  corn  judge  who  was 
visiting  in  his  home  to  look  over  some  of  his  best 
seed  corn  with  him  after  supper.  He  brought  the 
corn  in  and  put  it  on  the  table  and  together  they 
studied  the  ears,  deciding  on  the  same  ear  as  the 
best  for  use  as  seed. 

Then  the  farmer  turned  to  the  corn  judge  who  had 
studied  these  things,  and  said  :  *'  Now,  I  knew  that 
was  the  best  ear  to  use  for  seed,  because  I  had  found 
it  out  in  the  years  I  have  been  growing  corn  ;  but  I 


SCHOOL  WORK  AND  LIFE  WORK        145 

cannot  say  why  it  is  best.  Do  you  mind  telling 
me  in  words  ?  " 

And,  as  the  corn  judge  explained  the  points  that 
were  considered  in  selecting  a  good  ear  of  corn  for 
seed,  the  farmer's  interest  grew. 

"  There  is  a  lot  of  sense  in  that,'*  he  declared. 
"  I  like  the  way  you  can  tell  it.  It's  clear  and  true. 
I'm  going  to  send  my  boy  where  he  can  learn  to  give 
the  reason  for  the  things  he  is  learning  in  part  now 
through  experience  on  the  farm." 

It  is  a  great  thing  to  know  how  to  do  farm  work 
and  home  work  or  any  work  in  a  masterly  way. 
And  the  joy  comes  in  its  mastery  and  in  knowing 
the  reason  why. 

4.  School  Work  Prepares  for  Sharing  in  the  Life 
of  the  Community.  —  Ignorance  and  selfishness  are 
apt  to  go  together.  If  men  and  women  know 
nothing  of  the  possibilities  there  are  in  the  world  for 
growth  and  development ;  of  the  things  which 
people  in  other  places  are  doing  to  make  their  com- 
munities good  places  in  which  to  live,  they  cannot 
be  expected  to  be  thinking  in  a  very  large  way  of 
what  they  can  do  as  members  of  their  own  com- 
munity. 

So  the  right  kind  of  education  is  sure  to  prepare 
any  one  for  unselfish  service.  It  brings  an  ideal  of 
the  way  in  which  one  person  can  contribute  to  his 
community.  It  makes  it  possible  for  a  person  to 
realize  that  often  personal  interests  must  be  second- 


146  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

ary  to  community  interests.  It  arouses  a  sense  of 
civic  responsibility.     It  creates  standards. 

Through  a  school  that  is  planned  with  the  thought 
of  giving  this  kind  of  education,  boys  and  girls  find 
their  place  as  leaders  and  workers  in  the  community. 
Education  gives  to  them  the  social  vision  that  means 
the  building  up  of  a  real  community. 

5.  Education  Opens  the  Way  to  the  Richness  of 
Country  Living.  —  It  is  true  that  the  richest  and 
fullest  living  is  possible  along  country  roads. 

Around  those  who  live  in  the  country  there  is  the 
wonder  of  real  things  and  the  beauty  of  nature  in 
all  its  perfection.  There  is  the  inner  strength  that 
comes  from  producing  what  the  world  is  needing 
and  producing  it  without  having  to  make  life  harder 
for  any  other  persons.  There  is  an  intimate  touch 
with  the  fundamental  things  of  life. 

In  the  country  there  is  a  freedom  to  live  and  to 
enjoy  things  as  one's  own  master.  This  means  time, 
if  one  will  take  it  and  so  plan  the  work,  for  reading 
and  for  music.  It  means  time  to  see  the  clover 
blooming  by  the  road  and  the  wonderful  white  of 
the  bursting  cotton  bolls  against  the  blue  sky. 

But,  in  order  to  be  in  touch  with  all  the  finest  and 
deepest  and  truest  things  of  life,  an  education  is 
necessary.  There  must  be  that  training  which  has 
opened  the  eyes  to  see  and  the  heart  to  understand. 

It  is  said  that  a  very  small  percentage  of  country 
people  make  use  of  the  farm  bulletins  issued  by  the 


SCHOOL  WORK  AND   LIFE   WORK 


147 


148  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  though 
they  are  full  of  practical  help  that  many  farmers 
are  wanting. 

There  are  many  country  boys  and  girls  who  are 
only  half  awake  to  the  big  possibilities  of  life  in  the 
country.  The  way  has  not  yet  been  opened  for  all 
to  the  richness  and  fullness  of  living  in  the  country. 
The  right  kind  of  education  will  open  the  way.  It 
is  the  door  to  the  new  country  life,  —  that  country 
life  where  every  one  loves  the  country  and  under- 
stands its  great  opportunities  for  living  a  life  full 
to  the  brim  with  the  best  things. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  What  is  the  duty  of  the  school  ? 

2.  Describe  the  six  steps  of  responsibility  of  a  boy  or  girl. 

3.  What  is  "an  education"  ? 

4.  How  does  an  education  prepare  for  Hving  ? 

5.  Give  an  illustration  of  the  way  in  which  an  education  takes 
the  drudgery  from  farm  work. 

6.  Give  an  illustration  of  how  an  education  takes  the  drudg- 
ery from  home  work.  ' 

7.  What  is  the  use  of  knowing  the  reason  for  doing  work  in  a 
certain  way  ?     Give  an  illustration. 

8.  Why  is  it  that  only  a  small  percentage  of  country  people 
read  and  make  use  of  the  farm  bulletins  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture  ?  How  may  they  be  encouraged  to 
read  them  ? 

9.  Where  could  the  farmer's  son  learn  the  reasons  for  doing 
things  ? 

10.  Why  are  ignorance  and  selfishness  apt  to  go  together? 


SCHOOL  WORK  AND   LIFE  WORK        149 

11.  How  does  the  right  kind  of  education  prepare  for  un- 
selfish service  ? 

12.  In  what  ways  can  an  educated  person  better  serve  the 
community  ? 

13.  In  what  ways  does  the  country  offer  the  best  chance  for 
complete  living  ? 

14.  Why  is  an  education  necessary  to  get  the  most  out  of 
country  life  ? 

15.  Explain  how  an  education  opens  the  way  to  having  the 
best  kind  of  living  in  the  country. 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  In  what  ways  does  your  school  prepare  for  the  kind  of  life 
work  that  the  people  in  your  school  district  are  doing  ?  To  be 
considered  in  answering  this  question:  (i)  Make  a  list  of  the 
occupations  of  the  people  of  the  district.  (2)  Briefly  state  by 
each  occupation  what  you  think  would  be  needed  in  way  of 
preparation  for  it.  You  might  make  some  inquiries  in  regard 
to  it  from  the  people  themselves. 

II.  If  you  were  planning  the  school  work  for  a  district 
located  in  the  cotton  belt,  what  are  some  of  the  things  you  would 
include  ?  in  the  citrus  fruit  country  ?  in  the  corn  belt  ?  in  a 
country  where  lumbering  is  the  chief  industry  ? 

III.  Would  you  make  any  difference  for  boys  and  for  girls 
in  the  answers  to  Exercise  H  ? 

IV.  How  would  you  answer  Exercise  II  if  you  were  con- 
sidering men  and  women  ? 

V.  Analyze  your  home  and  farm  tasks,  (i)  What  is  the 
character  of  the  tasks  ?  (2)  Is  there  any  similarity  between 
them  ?  (3)  Is  hand  work  or  head  work  most  necessary  ? 
(4)  If  you  used  more  head  work,  could  you  manage  with  less 
hand  work?  (5)  Do  you  plan  your  tasks  consistently.''  (6) 
Write  a  short  paragraph  explaining  how  you  would  plan  the 
tasks  that  you  have  to  do  after  school  to-day. 


ISO  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

VI.  What  tasks  did  you  do  at  home  or  on  the  farm  yester- 
day ?  (i)  Why  did  you  do  them?  (2)  Did  you  understand 
the  reasons  why  the  tasks  had  to  be  done  ?  (3)  Did  you  see 
the  advantage  of  doing  them  when  you  were  through  ?  (4)  Did 
the  tasks  appeal  to  you  as  important  ?  (5)  Were  there  any 
other  tasks  that  might  have  been  assigned  to  you  that  would 
have  been  more  interesting  ?   more  important  ? 

VII.  What  did  you  gain  by  doing  the  tasks  at  home  and 
on  the  farm?  (i)  Did  you  get  hand  training?  (2)  Did  you 
get  head  training  ?  (3)  Did  you  learn  the  most  the  first  time 
that  you  did  the  task,  or  later  when  the  task  was  more  familiar  ? 

VIII.  What  are  the  reasons  for  doing  things  at  school  ? 
Analyze  them  as  you  have  already  analyzed  farm  tasks. 

IX.  In  what  ways  does  education  increase  understanding  ? 

X.  Do  you  find  that  your  judgment  and  understanding 
have  been  increased  by  your  school  work  ?  In  what  ways  is  this 
true  ? 

XI.  Is  there  an  explanation  for  everything  that  we  do  ? 

XII.  How  does  understanding  the  explanation  help  us  ? 

XIII.  Accepting  the  definition  for  an  education  given  in  this 
chapter,  do  you  think  an  education  can  only  be  secured  at 
school  ?  Have  you  ever  known  a  well-educated  person  who  had 
not  had  much  chance  to  go  to  school  ? 

XIV.  Think  of  the  people  who  are  most  interested  helping 
with  community  things  in  your  district.  Are  they  educated 
people  ?  Do  they  read  ?  From  your  own  experience,  do  you 
think  it  is  true  that  those  who  have  the  right  kind  of  education 
do  most  in  the  community  ? 

XV.  Write  a  short  composition  on  "  How  School  Work  Makes 
Me  Understand  the  Chance  for  the  Best  Kind  of  Life  in  the 
Country." 


CHAPTER   XIV 
Citizenship  and  Country  Life 

I.    The   Countryside  Rests  on  Its  Citizenship.  — 

Emerson  said  that  the  state  cannot  be  better  than  its 
citizens,  any  more  than  a  spring  could  rise  higher  than 
its  source.  The  fact  holds  true  of  country  life. 
The  countryside  is  no  better  than  its  citizens. 

The  basis  of  country  life  lies  in  the  country  people. 
Where  they  stand  together  and  work  together, 
country  life  will  be  strong  and  vigorous.  Where 
they  lose  interest  and  hang  back,  country  life  suffers 
accordingly. 

It  is  a  very  common  thing  for  one  man  to  say : 
"  Oh,  I  don't  care.  It's  no  business  of  mine."  His 
attitude  corresponds  with  the  old  saying,  *'  What's 
everybody's  business  is  nobody's  business."  Whose 
business  is  it  if  the  community  is  careless  and  shift- 
less in  its  community  life  }  It  is  the  business  of 
each  citizen,  of  course.  Unless  each  citizen  sees  to 
it  that  the  business  is  done,  it  will  remain  undone. 
The  success  of  the  whole  rests  upon  the  work  of  each. 

Again  a  man  says :  "  Oh,  I'm  only  one.  My 
vote  doesn't  count  anyway."     Remember,  however, 


152 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


that  the  total  vote  is  made  up  of  the  votes  of  Indi- 
viduals. 

There  is  no  escaping  the  fact  that  community 
responsibility  rests  back  finally  upon  the  individual 
citizen.  The  individual  may  not  like  the  job.  He 
may    shirk    and    hang    back,  —  with    what    result .? 


The  basis  of  country  life  lies  in  the  country  people. 

Simply  that  he  lives  in  a  shirking  community.  His 
spirit  makes  the  spirit  of  the  countryside  because 
he  and  his  neighbors  are  the  spirit  of  the  countryside. 
2.  The  Community  Life  Is  Larger  Than  Politics.  — 
During  past  years  there  has  been  a  feeling  in  some 
places  that  community  life  began  and  ended  with 
politics.  Since  women  could  not  take  an  active 
part  in  politics,  they  were  excluded  from  community 


CITIZENSHIP  AND  COUNTRY  LIFE      153 

life  and  banished  to  the  kitchen.  The  community 
life  was  a  life  for  men.  They  enjoyed  it,  and  they 
alone  had  a  right  to  it. 

The  past  few  years  have  marked  a  great  change 
in  the  understanding  of  community  life.  Gradually 
the  thought  dawned  upon  men  and  women  that  the 
community  meant  all  of  the  people  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  that  community  life  was  made  up  of  all 
of  the  things  that  people  might  do  together. 

There  were  some  sections  of  the  countryside  where 
people  came  together  very  little.  They  saw  each 
other  on  fair  days,  at  funerals,  and  sometimes  at 
church  on  Sunday.  Otherwise,  each  lived  in  his 
own  home  and  forgot  that  he  belonged  in  a  neighbor- 
hood. 

The  country  life  movement  is  an  effort  to  make 
more  chances  for  country  people  to  see  one  another. 
It  is  based  on  the  idea  that  the  schools,  churches, 
clubs,  granges,  and  other  associations  make  up  the 
community  life  of  the  countryside.  The  opportuni- 
ties for  each  of  these  organizations  to  play  a  part 
in  community  life  are  becoming  more  apparent  as 
the  questions  involved  in  their  organization  and 
maintenance  are  brought  up  for  discussion. 

There  are  two  possible  centers  for  the  general 
community  life  of  the  countryside.  One  is  the 
school,  the  other  is  the  church.  Each  has  a  field 
distinct  from  the  field  covered  by  the  other.  Each 
has  separate  problems,  and  yet  both  may  work  to- 


154 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


gether  for  the  common  goal  of  better  community 
living  and  better  community  spirit. 

The  effective  country  school  is  far  more  than  a 
schoolhouse  in  which  sessions  are  held  during  a  few 
hours  on  five  days  of  each  week  for  a  few  months  in 


i  hcic  they  play  their  games. 

the  year.     The  country  school  is  rapidly  becoming  a 
social  center  of  a  large  section  of  countryside  life. 

The  most  effective  type  of  country  school  for  most 
purposes  is  the  consolidated  school.  The  one-room 
school  is  small  and  cramped.  The  consolidated 
school,  with  its  assembly  room  and  its  more  ample 
quarters,  can  afford  better  opportunities  for  com- 
munity gatherings.     The  consolidated  school  suffers 


CITIZENSHIP  AND  COUNTRY  LIFE      155 

from  the  one  disadvantage  of  being  farther  away  from 
the  average  home  than  is  the  one-room  school. 
Its  better  equipment  more  than  offsets  the  difficulty 
which  some  families  have  in  reaching  the  school 
building. 

The  well-directed  country  school  is  a  center  for 


The  school  may  organize  a  play  festival. 

the  life  of  the  country  children.  There  they  receive 
intellectual  training,  play  their  garnes,  and  organize 
their  clubs  and  reading  circles.  The  school  must  do 
more  than  this,  however,  if  it  is  to  do  its  utmost  for 
the  community  in  which  it  is  located.  The  adults 
must  also  be  drawn  to  it  by  the  opportunity  which 


156  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

it  affords  for  adult  social  life.  The  school  can  be 
made  a  lecture  center,  in  which  experts  talk  on 
agriculture,  or  in  which  popular  lecturers  entertain 
and  enlighten.  The  grange  may  meet  in  the  school. 
The  Domestic  Science  Department,  cooperating  with 
the  Agricultural  Department,  may  treat  all  of  the 
parents  once  or  twice  a  year  to  a  good  dinner,  and  a 
series  of  papers  and  discussions  by  the  students  on 
the  agricultural  problems  of  the  neighborhood.  The 
school  may  organize  a  play  festival  —  one  each  yea^ 
—  to  which  the  parents  come  in  order  that  they 
may  see  their  children  do  the  work,  and  carry  on  the 
organized  play  of  the  school.  In  these,  and  m^ny 
other  ways,  the  school  may  act  as  a  center  of  social 
and  educational  life  for  young  people  and  old  people 
alike. 

Country  communities  have  always  been  interested 
in  politics.  Political  subjects  have  come  up  for 
discussion  and  have  been  laid  to  rest  time  out  of 
mind.  The  day  has  already  dawned  when  the 
interests  of  the  countryside  are  recognized  as  broader 
than  the  interests  of  politics.  Country  communities 
have  awakened  to  the  fact  that  the  school,  and  the 
other  community  institutions,  can  be  made  a  force 
in  community  life  that  will  transform  community 
activities  and  elevate  community  standards. 

3.  Each  Person  Should  Have  a  Part  in  Settling 
Countryside  Affairs.  —  In  an  Americanized  com- 
munity each  person  will  be  anxious  to  participate  in 


CITIZENSHIP  AND  COUNTRY  LIFE      157 

the  affairs  of  community  life.  Such  an  ideal  is  at 
the  basis  of  American  institutions.  From  earliest 
times  the  American  people  have  told  one  another 
that  each  man  was  second  to  none,  and  that  life, 
liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness  were  the  right 
of  all. 

The  life  of  the  average  countryside  has  not  worked 
out  in  exact  conformity  with  this  political  theory. 
In  the  states  where  women  are  not  allowed  to  vote 
there  is  a  growing  insistence  that  if  a  community 
is  to  be  fairly  managed  in  the  interests  of  all  of  its 
citizens,  the  women  should  have  a  say  at  the  polls 
equal  to  that  of  the  men. 

The  agitation  for  equal  suffrage  is  but  one  phase  of 
the  general  movement  toward  an  increased  democ- 
racy in  American  life.  Certain  things  must  be 
managed  by  the  community.  Why  should  not  each 
person  in  the  community  have  a  share  in  the  manage- 
ment, and  why  should  not  community  affairs  be 
managed  in  the  interests  of  the  great  body  of  citizens  ? 
The  answer  to  these  questions  may  be  found  in  the 
many  published  discussions  in  the  hotly  contested 
elections,  and  in  the  multitude  of  newspaper  and 
magazine  articles  on  the  various  sides  of  public 
questions. 

The  truth  seems  to  be  that  if  the  community  is  to 
remain  democratic,  each  member  must  feel  a  duty 
and  a  responsibility  toward  the  rest  of  the  com- 
munity ;     furthermore,    that    the    majority    of   the 


158 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


people  in  a  community  should  have  the  chief  con- 
sideration in  any  decision  affecting  community 
affairs.  At  the  same  time  the  majority  must  deal 
fairly  with  the  interests  of  the  minority.  Most 
vital  of  all,  however,  the  citizens  of  a  community 
must  take  their  citizenship  seriously,  and  think  of 


Good  citizens  are  the  life  of  the  community. 

themselves   as   responsible   for  the   doings   in   their 
communities. 

4.  Good  Citizenship  Means  Participation  in  Com- 
munity Affairs.  —  Every  one  cannot  play  the  same 
part  in  the  life  of  the  community,  but  each  person 
can  play  some  part. 


CITIZENSHIP  AND  COUNTRY  LIFE      159 

There  will  always  be  people  in  every  community 
too  indifferent,  too  inefficient,  or  too  selfish  to  take 
part  in  community  life.  If  such  people  are  in  the 
great  majority,  there  is  no  community  life.  Each 
household  is  a  law  unto  itself,  breaking  the  com- 
munity up  into  a  collection  of  individual  units 
lacking  common  interest  and  common  activities. 
Such  a  community  misses  all  of  the  advantages  that 
should  come  with  a  well-organized  community. 

Most  communities  contain  men  and  women,  or 
at  least  boys  and  girls,  who  are  community  leaders. 
They  get  things  going.  They  manage  the  grange, 
get  up  entertainments  at  school,  start  church  socials, 
organize  a  corn  club  among  the  boys  or  a  tomato 
club  among  the  girls.  Such  people  are  the  good 
citizens. 

Good  citizens  are  the  life  of  the  community.  They 
keep  things  booming  and  keep  people  interested. 
They  are  the  source  of  community  spirit,  and  the 
center  of  community  activity.  They  are  good 
citizens  because  each  time  an  opportunity  offers 
to  lend  a  hand  for  the  community,  they  pitch  in  and 
do  their  share. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  What  must  be  done  in  order  to  assure  strong,  vigorous 
country  life  ? 

2.  What  happens  when  the  people  lose  interest  and  hang 
back  .? 


i6o  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

3.  What  is  the  effect  upon  the  countryside  when  some  people 
fail  to  do  their  share  ? 

4.  Who  is  responsible  for  a  careless,  shiftless  community  ? 

5.  What  was  the  feeling  regarding  the  woman  and  commu- 
nity life  ?     Why  ? 

6.  What  is  the  feeling  now  ?     Why  ? 

7.  What  is  meant  by  the  country  life  movement  ?  Explain 
how  it  aims  to  help  community  life. 

8.  What  are  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  the  con- 
solidated school  for  community  gatherings  ?  of  the  one-room 
school  for  the  same  purpose  ? 

9.  How  may  the  school  help  to  promote  community  spirit 
in  the  countryside  ? 

10.  Why  should  the  schoolhouse  be  used  for  other  than 
school  purposes  ? 

11.  To  what  other  uses  may  the  school  be  put  ? 

12.  How  may  the  country  church  stimulate  social  life  in  the 
community  ? 

13.  What  are  some  of  the  ways  in  which  the  church  may 
make  community  spirit  ? 

14.  How  have  politics  come  to  be  regarded  in  the  country- 
side ? 

15.  What  is  the  result  of  indifferent,  inefficient,  and  selfish 
people  in  a  community,  especially  if  such  people  are  in  the 
majority  ? 

16.  What  is  meant  by  good  citizenship  ? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  list  of  the  duties  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  every 
good  citizen:  (i)  Those  that  fall  to  men.  (2)  Those  that 
fall  to  women.     (3)  Those  that  fall  to  children. 

II.  How  many  of  the  people  in  your  neighborhood,  who  are 
qualified  to  vote,  do  vote?     (i)   Did  your  father  vote  at  the 


CITIZENSHIP  AND  COUNTRY  LIFE      i6i 

last    election?     (2)  Did    your    brother    vote?     (3)  Find    out 
why  people  failed  to  vote. 

III.  How  many  of  the  people  are  not  allowed  to  vote  ? 
(i)  Do  men  vote?  Why?  (2)  Do  women  vote?  Why? 
(3)   Do  children  vote  ?     Why  ? 

IV.  If  you  were  rearranging  the  suffrage  in  your  com- 
munity, whom  would  you  permit  to  vote  ? 

V.  Are  there  any  questions  that  now  come  before  the  voters, 
upon  which  you  believe  they  should  not  vote  ? 

VI.  Are  there  any  questions  which  do  not  now  come  before 
the  voters,  on  which  you  believe  they  ought  to  vote  ? 

VII.  Do  you  ever  hear  men  talking  politics :  (i)  At 
home  ?  (2)  At  the  store  ?  (3)  On  Sundays  outside  of  the 
church  ? 

VIII.  What  do  men  talk  about  when  they  talk  politics  ? 

IX.  If  you  could  talk  politics,  what  would  you  talk  about  ? 

X.  Suppose  you  were  able  to  get  all  of  the  men  and  women 
in  your  neighborhood  to  come  to  the  schoolhouse  one  even- 
ing each  month:  (i)  What  would  you  do  the  first  evening? 
(2)  If  you  decided  to  talk,  what  would  you  talk  about  ?  (3) 
Make  a  general  program  for  each  of  six  meetings  to  be  held 
in  the  local  schoolhouse  during  the  year. 

XI.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  which  the  church  and  school  in 
your  community  might  do  to  build  up  the  citizenship. 

XII.  Suppose  you  were  a  school  director;  what  should  you 
expect  the  school  to  do  ?  (i)  For  the  pupils  outside  of  school 
work.  (2)  For  the  adult  people  of  the  community.  (3)  To 
promote  community  spirit. 

XIII.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  that  a  wide-awake  school 
director  might  do  for  your  school. 

XIV.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  that  you  would  do  for  your 
school  if  you  were  its  teacher. 

XV.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  that  a  good  home  should  do 
for  the  school. 

H 


1 62  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

XVI.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  that  a  good  student  should 
do  for  the  school. 

XVII.  If  you  were  in  charge  of  a  country  church,  what  would 
you  try  to  do  for  the  community  ? 

XVIII.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  which  the  church  in  your 
neighborhood  does  for  community  life. 

XIX.  Who  are  among  the  good  citizens  of  your  community  f 
What  are  they  doing  for  the  community  ? 


CHAPTER  XV 
The  Country  Community  and  its  Officials 

I.  The  Public  Work  of  the  Community  is  En- 
trusted to  a  Number  of  Officials.  —  Some  of  these 
officials  hold  local,  some  hold  state,  and  some  hold 
national  offices. 

The  justice  of  the  peace  is  a  local  officer.  He  is 
elected  by  his  neighbors  to  carry  on  certain  routine 
work  in  connection  with  the  administration  of  the 
laws.  He  may  issue  warrants  for  the  arrest  of  a 
supposed  criminal,  or  he  may  perform  a  marriage 
ceremony.  In  the  case  of  minor  offenses,  he  is  a 
judge. 

Perhaps  the  three  most  important  officers  in  a 
country  community  are  the  school  director,  the  road 
commissioner,  and  the  health  officer,  if  there  is  one. 

The  school  director  is  occupied  with  the  most 
important  single  duty  of  the  community,  —  that  of 
organizing  and  supervising  the  work  of  training 
children.  While  he  selects  a  teacher  to  do  the 
actual  work  of  instructing,  the  director  is  finally 
responsible  for  the  teacher  as  well  as  for  the  instruc- 
tion. 

163 


164 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


COUNTRY  COMMUNITY  AND  OFFICIALS    165 

Children  are  spending  a  larger  and  larger  part 
of  their  time  in  school  work  and  the  schools  are 
being  called  upon  to  do  more  and  more  toward  the 
training  of  children.  A  few  years  ago,  high  schools 
were  only  occasionally  met  with.  To-day,  they  are 
being  built  in  cities,  towns,  and  rural  districts  alike, 
and  a  high  school  education  has  become  almost  a 
necessity. 

There  is  a  strong  movement  —  one  which  seems 
to  be  rapidly  gaining  ground  —  to  elect  women  to 
the  position  of  school  director.  There  was  a  time 
when  all  of  the  duty  of  training  children  rested  upon 
the  woman  in  her  home  and  now  that  the  burden 
has  been  shifted  to  the  community  during  school 
hours,  it  seems  only  natural  that  the  women  who 
were  formerly  responsible  for  child  training  should 
have  some  degree  of  responsibility  for  school  work. 

The  road  commissioner  is  appointed  to  maintain 
the  highways  of  the  community.  Supplies  are 
secured,  crops  are  marketed,  pleasure  rides  are  taken, 
and  all  communications  are  held  over  the  roads. 
The  community  which  has  good  roads  has  the  basis 
for  prosperity.  A  bad  road  is  the  most  expensive 
thing  that  can  be  found  anywhere.  It  takes  time, 
exhausts  horses,  and  adds  immensely  to  the  cost  of 
getting  supplies  from  the  market. 

Up-to-date  communities  are  appointing  health 
officers  because  of  the  widespread  recognition  of 
the    importance    of    health.     A    doctor    is    usually 


i66  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

named  health  officer.  The  duties  of  the  office  take 
little  of  his  time  but  require  constant  vigilance  on 
his  part.  He  must  see  to  it  that  the  community- 
stays  well.  If  disease  threatens,  if  there  is  possi- 
bility of  contagion  or  epidemic,  he  must  act  promptly 
and  effectively.  He  is  a  sentry  posted  to  guard  the 
community  against  bad  health. 

The  school  directors,  road  commissioners,  and  the 
justice  of  the  peace  belong  to  the  borough  or  the 
township.  The  boroughs  or  townships,  combined, 
make  up  counties.  Each  county  has  a  number  of 
officers. 

The  county  officers,  —  a  treasurer,  assessor, 
recorder  of  wills,  judge,  sheriff,  and  so  on,  —  are  in 
charge  of  the  affairs  of  the  county.  There  are  two 
classes  of  county  officers,  —  those  connected  with 
the  administration  of  justice  and  those  connected 
with  county  business.  The  judge,  the  sheriff,  and 
the  court  officers  have  to  do  with  the  administration 
of  justice.  Both  civil  suits  and  criminal  offenses 
come  before  the  court  for  settlement.  The  county 
assessor,  the  county  treasurer,  the  sheriff,  the  re- 
corder of  wills,  and  other  similar  officials  manage  the 
public  business  of  the  county.  They  are  respon- 
sible for  collecting  taxes  and  for  running  the  county 
business. 

The  state  and  national  officers  usually  play  very 
little  part  in  the  life  of  rural  communities,  with  the 
exception  of  the  postman,  whose  daily  visits  make 


COUNTRY  COMMUNITY  AND  OFFICIALS    167 

him  one  of  the  most  necessary  things  in  country  Hfe. 
In  many  states,  the  game  warden  is  the  best  known 
state  officer  in  each  locaUty. 

In  case  of  an  epidemic  of  some  disease  Hke  small- 
pox or  typhoid  fever,  the  State  Department  of 
Health    may   send    men    into    a  rural    community. 


Rural  Free  Delivery. 

If  there  is  a  plague  like  hog  cholera  or  hoof-and- 
mouth  disease,  the  state  veterinarian  may  take  an 
active  part  in  local  affairs  for  a  short  time.  Gener- 
ally neither  the  state  nor  the  national  government  has 
much  to  do  with  the  affairs  of  a  local  community. 

Since  county,  state,  and  national  officers  have  so 
small  a  part  to  play  in  the  affairs  of  local  com- 
munities, it  follows  that  the  success  or  failure  of 
the  township  or  borough  rests  with  the  local  officials. 


i68  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

As  they  do  their  work,  the  community  will  be  well 
or  badly  served. 

2.  The  Officers  of  a  Community  Have  Only 
One  Duty  —  to  Serve  Their  Community  Honestly, 
Earnestly,  and  Efficiently.  —  Honesty  in  public 
office  is  now  looked  upon  as  a  matter  of  course. 
There  may  have  been  a  time  when  grafting  in  public 
office  was  looked  upon  as  a  legitimate  practice.  If 
that  time  ever  was,  it  is  now  in  the  past.  The 
people  who  elect  a  man  to  office  expect  him  to  be 
square  in  his  dealings.  That  means  that  he  must 
not  take  any  of  the  public  money,  directly  or  in- 
directly. It  is  practically  impossible  for  him  to 
put  his  hand  in  the  public  treasury.  He  may, 
however,  take  a  percentage  on  contracts,  take  fees 
for  securing  special  favors,  or  in  other  ways  sell  the 
rights  of  his  office.  The  salary  which  a  public 
official  receives  is  fixed  by  law.  He  cannot  be  hon- 
est and  make  more  money  out  of  his  office  than  his 
fixed  salary. 

Earnestness  is  as  important  as  honesty  in  public 
office.  There  is  a  danger  constantly  threatening 
the  public  service,  —  the  danger  of  growing  indif- 
ferent to  public  well-being.  The  public  official 
who  holds  office  during  the  tenure  of  his  political 
party  sometimes  looks  upon  his  office  as  a  means  of 
getting  a  living  without  working  very  hard.  Public 
office  is  in  reality  an  opportunity  to  serve  the  com- 
munity. 


COUNTRY  COMMUNITY  AND  OFFICIALS    169 

Public  offices  must  be  administered  efficiently. 
Honesty  and  earnestness  are  not  sufficient  in  them- 
selves to  guarantee  the  success  of  a  public  official. 
A  school  director  may  be  as  honest  and  earnest 
as  he  pleases,  but  he  will  not  be  a  first-class  school 
director  until  he  learns  something  about  education. 
The  road  commissioner  must  know  something  about 
the  construction  and  maintenance  of  roads.  Fur- 
thermore, in  the  conduct  of  his  office,  the  official 
must  be  efficient.  That  means  that  he  must  get 
the  most  out  of  the  money  and  time  which  the 
public  provides. 

Honesty,  earnestness,  and  efficiency  are  the  basis 
of  good  public  service.  No  one  of  them  can  be 
dispensed  with  if  the  public  service  is  to  be  made 
effective. 

3.  The  Person  Best  Suited  for  Any  Official  Place 
Is  the  Person  Who  Can  Best  Do  the  Work  of  That 
Place.  —  If  a  community  is  to  get  the  best  service 
from  its  officers,  there  is  no  other  way  in  which 
they  can  be  selected.  There  has  been  a  strong 
tendency  in  the  past  to  select  public  officials  on  party 
lines.  As  long  as  a  party  system  of  government 
prevails,  party  lines  are  necessary  wherever  the 
public  official  directly  represents  the  people  at  the 
same  time.  There  is  a  growing  number  of  public 
offices  in  which  ability  and  devotion  to  public 
interests  is  in  far  greater  importance  than  political 
affiliation.     It    is    more    important,    for    example, 


I70  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

that  the  road  commissioner  should  understand  road 
building  than  that  he  should  be  Republican  or 
Democrat.  A  school  director  may  be  extremely 
efficient  without  having  any  political  affiliations  at 
all.  A  doctor  may  make  a  good  health  officer 
whether  he  does  or  does  not  belong  to  your  political 
party. 

The  community  which  is  to  be  well  served  must 
pick  its  officers  primarily  because  of  their  qualities 
rather  than  because  of  their  political  views.  This 
grows  more  true  as  the  government  is  called  upon 
to  render  a  larger  and  larger  amount  of  service  to 
the  community. 

4.  Officers  Are  Selected  by  the  Fellow  Citizens 
to  Represent  Them  and  Serve  Them.  —  The  official 
must  represent  and  serve.  Official  responsibility 
carries  with  it  this  responsibility  of  service.  The 
boy 'who  is  selected  captain  of  a  baseball  team  must 
think  of  the  team  before  he  thinks  of  himself.  The 
man  who  is  selected  county  judge  must  place  justice 
first ;  the  school  director  must  put  schools  first ;  the 
road  commissioner  must  put  roads  first.  The  duties 
of  a  public  official  are  first  to  the  public. 

The  successful  public  official  works  as  hard  for 
the  public  as  he  would  work  if  he  were  working  for 
himself.  To  him,  the  responsibility  which  the 
voters  have  placed  upon  him  is  a  trust  that  he  feels 
bound  to  execute. 


COUNTRY  COMMUNITY  AND  OFFICIALS    171 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  What  are  the  three  divisions  of  officials  who  carry  on  the 
public  work  of  the  community  ? 

2.  Who  is  the  justice  of  the  peace  ?     By  whom  is  he  elected  ? 
What  are  his  duties  ? 

3.  Name    the    three  most  important   officers  in    a  country 
community. 

4.  What  is  the  duty  of  the  school  director  ? 

5.  Why  is  his  position  so  important  ? 

6.  Do  you  think  the  school  director  ought  to  be  a  woman  ? 
Why? 

7.  Tell  all  you  can  about  the  road  commissioner. 

8.  Make  a  list  of  the  disadvantages  of  a  bad  road. 

9.  Why  do  up-to-date  communities  appoint  health  officers .? 
What  kind  of  man  is  usually  chosen  for  health  officer  ? 

10.  What  are  his  duties  ? 

11.  Make  a  list  of  the  county  officers. 

12.  Name  the  two  classes  or  groups  into  which  they    are 
divided,  and  tell  what  each  does. 

13.  How  are  you  represented  by  national  officers  ? 

14.  In  what  ways  may  the  state  or  national    governments 
have  occasion  to  deal  with  the  affairs  of  a  local  community .? 

15.  Upon  whom  does  the  success  or  failure  of  the  township  or 
borough  rest  ? 

16.  What  three  qualities   are  at  the  basis  of  good    public 
service  ? 

17.  How  may  an  officer  be  dishonest .? 

18.  What  part  does  earnestness  play  in  public  office  ? 

19.  What  do  you  understand  by  efficiency  in  public  office  ? 

20.  Which  is  the  best  way  to  select  a  person  for  any  official 
place  ?     What  should  be  the  consideration  ? 

21.  What  was  the  tendency  in  the  past  in  this  respect  ? 

22.  Explain  the  weaknesses  of  this  tendency. 


172  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

23.  Why  are  officers  selected  ?  What  responsibility  is  at- 
tached to  public  office  ? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  list  of  the  names  of  all  of  the  officers  in  your 
locality. 

II.  Can  you  name  any  of  the  county  officers  ? 

III.  What  type  of  men  are  elected  to  local  office  ?  to  county 
office  ? 

IV.  Write  a  brief  composition  describing  the  kind  of  man 
that  you  think  makes  the  best  officeholder. 

V.  Do  you  know  any  men  who  possess  such  qualities  ? 

VI.  If  an  election  is  pending,  pick  out  the  men,  who,  in  your 
judgment,  would  make  the  best  local  officers. 

VII.  Make  a  list  of  the  duties  of  all  local  officers. 

VIII.  State  which  of  these  duties  you  consider  most  impor- 
tant. 

IX.  Name  the  state  and  national  officers  who  represent 
you.     What  are  their  duties  ? 

X.  Write  a  letter  to  the  school  commissioners  calling  their 
attention  to  the  most  urgently  needed  improvements  in  and 
about  your  school,  (i)  Improvements  in  the  building,  — 
heating,  lighting,  ventilating,  etc.  (2)  Improvements  in  the 
equipment.  (3)  Improvements  in  the  course  of  study,  with 
particular  reference  to  the  things  which  you  think  would  be  of 
advantage  in  your  neighborhood. 

XI.  If  you  were  a  school  commissioner,  what  improvements 
would  you  first  make  in  the  local  school  ? 

XII.  What  improvements  should  you  consider  next  in 
importance  ? 

XIII.  Write  a  letter  to  the  road  commissioner,  suggesting 
improvements  in  the  roads  in  your  neighborhood,  (i)  Do  you 
think  it  would  be  advisable  to  lay  a  more  expensive  kind  of 


COUNTRY  COMMUNITY  AND  OFFICIALS    173 

road  than  that  now  in  use  ?  (2)  What  can  you  tell  him  regard- 
ing the  upkeep  of  the  roads  ?  (3)  What  can  you  say  regarding 
labor  on  the  roads  ? 

XIV.  Have  you  ever  visited  the  county  jail  ? 

XV.  Write  a  letter  to  the  county  attorney,  ehumerating  the 
methods  which,  in  your  estimation,  are  best  calculated  to  keep 
the  jail  empty. 

XVI.  What  people  do  you  consider  best  qualified  to  pick 
local  officers  ?  state  officers  ?  national  officers  ? 

XVII.  Would  you  exclude  women  from  the  franchise  ? 
Why  ?     Would  you  exclude  children  ?     Why  ? 


CHAPTER   XVI 
The  Country  as  Life  Giver  to  the  World 

I.  The  Country  Feeds  and  Clothes  the  World. 
—  This  is  the  great  economic  contract  which  the 
country  has  undertaken  to  fulfill. 

The  world  looks  to  the  country  for  the  supplying 
of  most  of  the  necessaries  of  life.  The  wheat,  corn, 
cotton,  wool,  beef,  pork,  milk,  eggs,  and  cheese 
upon  which  the  world  feeds  and  clothes  itself  owe 
their  origin  to  the  work  of  country  folks.  The 
shoes  have  gone  through  many  processes  of  manu- 
facturing since  they  left  the  steer's  back  in  the 
eastern  St.  Louis  packing  house,  but  there  was  a 
time  when  this  steer  was  quietly  feeding  on  a  pros- 
perous farm  in  Kansas.  The  eggs  have  been 
handled  and  rehandled,  shipped,  stored,  and  sold, 
but  the  hens  that  laid  them  are  still  at  work  in  Mis- 
souri. It  is  a  long  way  from  a  calico  dress,  through 
the  clothing  manufacturer,  the  cotton  manufacturer, 
the  cotton  warehouse,  the  railroad,  and  the  cotton 
warehouse  back  to  the  cotton  fields  of  Texas,  but  it 
was  in  those  cotton  fields  that  the  cotton  from  which 
the  calico  was  made  grew. 

174 


COUNTRY  AS   LIFE  GIVER  TO  WORLD     175 


The  country  feeds  and  clothes  the  world. 


176  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

Stop  in  at  the  wholesale  market  of  any  large  city 
from  New  York  to  San  Francisco,  and  you  will 
see  the  products  of  the  country  which  are  being 
brought  in  and  distributed  to  the  consumers  in  the 
city,  —  dairy  products,  fruit,  vegetables,  and  coun- 
try products  like  wheat,  manufactured  into  flour, 
cereals,  and  other  eatable  and  wearable  things. 
The  city  reaches  all  over  the  world  for  the  things 
necessary  to  its  support.  Its  immediate  food  sup- 
plies are  drawn  from  the  surrounding  country.  Milk 
cannot  be  carried  more  than  a  few  hundred  miles ; 
green  vegetables  are  usually  grown  close  at  hand ; 
grain  crops  can  be  transported  for  long  distances, 
but  whether  the  city  depends  upon  the  near-by  or 
the  distant  farm,  it  lives  upon  the  products  of  the 
country  life. 

The  farmer  frequently  sells  his  product  directly 
to  the  city  consumer.  He  drives  his  market  wagon 
into  town  or  goes  from  house  to  house  or  else  he  hires 
a  stall  or  a  place  at  the  curb  market  and  offers  his 
wares  for  sale.  Where  the  producer  and  the  con- 
sumer come  together,  the  greatest  savings  are  effected 
and  the  most  satisfaction  is  secured.  There,  too, 
it  is  made  most  clear  that  the  man  from  the  country 
supplies  the  necessaries  without  which  the  city  fam- 
ily could  not  live. 

The  city  would  starve  over  night  without  the 
farm.  The  milk,  eggs,  butter,  and  cereal  on  the  city 
breakfast   table  must   be  brought   into  town   every 


COUNTRY  AS   LIFE  GIVER  TO  WORLD     177 


day.  Sometimes  when  there  is  a  teamsters'  strike 
or  a  bHzzard  that  ties  up  the  city  food  supply  for 
only  a  day,  prices  rise,  and  some  things,  like  milk, 
cannot  be  had  at  any  price. 

People  find  a  great  deal  of  satisfaction  in  working 
at  the  real  things  of  life.  They  grow  tired  of  the 
frills  and  fancy  trimmings.  They  want  work  that 
is  vital. 

The  farmer  has  vital  work.  He  is  feeding  and 
clothing  the  world.  The  world  looks  to  him, 
eagerly,  for  the  things 
that  are  necessary  to 
keep  it  alive  and  com- 
fortable. The  farmer 
is  making  the  life  of 
the  world  possible. 

2.  The  Country 
Builds  Rugged  Man- 
hood and  Woman- 
hood. —  This  is  a  work 
quite  as  important  as 
that  of  feeding  and 
clothing  mankind. 

The  conduct  of  the 
world  is  a  difficult 
matter.  It  is  no  easy 
task  to  find  road  com- 
missioners and  school  directors  who  are  able  to  do 
their  work  easily  and  eff^ectively.     How  much  more 


The  country  builds   rugged   manhood 
and  womanhood. 


178  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

difficult  it  becomes  to  secure  strong  men  for  the 
management  of  banks,  colleges,  railroads,  and  gov- 
ernment activities  like  the  post  office  and  the  state 
bureaus  of  health.  From  the  lowest  to  the  highest 
positions  in  life,  the  world  is  working  for  leaders. 

The  world  is  very  hard  on  its  leaders.  It  takes 
them  from  the  city,  town,  or  the  open  country, 
overworks  them,  makes  it  difficult  for  them  to 
play,  and  in  the  end,  breaks  down  their  health. 

City  life  is  always  severe  because  of  the  restricted 
way  in  which  people  are  compelled  to  carry  on  their 
activities.  It  is  doubly  severe  where  it  is  subject 
to  the  intense  pressure  of  business  demands  and 
social  demands  made  upon  the  people  who  are  in 
charge  of  its  affairs. 

The  foundation  of  success  in  life  is  rugged  health. 
A  clear  eye,  a  steady  hand,  and  a  strong  will  are  the 
outward  manifestations  of  rugged  health.  Most 
of  the  men  and  women  who  have  done  the  impor- 
tant things  have  had  strong  constitutions  and  a  world 
of  surplus  physical  energy.  As  some  one  says,  they 
are  dynamic  activity. 

The  country  must  build  rugged  health.  How 
easily  this  can  be  done  where  fresh  air,  good  water, 
nourishing  food,  and  a  simple  life  combine  their 
health-yielding  possibilities.  The  man  plowing 
along  the  valley  or  chopping  on  the  hillside  or  driv- 
ing along  the  open  road  can  hardly  realize  the 
lack  of  opportunity  of  the  man  who  sits  at  his  desk 


COUNTRY  AS   LIFE  GIVER  TO  WORLD     179 

all  day  or  the  women  and  children  who  are  confined 
to  the  narrow  walls  of  a  city  house.  City  office 
buildings,  city  factories,  and  city  stores  all  shut  out 
the  fresh  air  and  sunlight,  which  are  so  generally 
enjoyed  by  the  country  workers. 

Work  in  the  city  is  highly  specialized.  Men 
and  women  labor  under  the  pressure  of  excitement 
and  the  necessity  for  a  large  amount  of  products. 
They  are  on  a  piece-rate  system  or  they  are  working 
under  the  eye  of  a  foreman  who  speeds  them  to  the 
limit  of  their  endurance.  They  are  striving  to  do 
great  things  in  law  or  medicine.  They  are  building 
businesses  or  managing  schools  and  colleges. 

The  pressure  of  city  life  is  intense  and  the  resulting 
nervous  strain  takes  a  heavy  toll  of  strength  and 
energy.  The  country  with  its  early  hours,  its  simple 
and  comparatively  unspecialized  work,  and  its. 
absence  of  strain  is  the  very  opposite  of  city  life. 
It  affords  every  opportunity  for  the  development  of 
vigorous  manhood  and  womanhood. 

3.  The  Country  Gives  Character  to  the  World. 
—  Food  and  clothes  are  necessary,  good  health  is 
indispensable,  but  if  people  have  the  wrong  atti- 
tude of  life,  they  cannot  be  truly  useful. 

The  country  must  develop  a  fine  honesty  that 
will  say  "  yes  "  when  it  means  yes,  and  "  no  "  when 
it  means  no.  The  man  of  character  is  the  man 
who  knows  himself,  who  commands  himself,  and  who 
acts  up  to  the  best  of  his  beliefs. 


i8o 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


4.    The   Country  Has  a   Mission.  —  The  country 
boy  and  girl  have  a  wonderful  chance  to  give  their 
fellows.     We  are  taught  that  the  greatest  thing  in 
the  world  is  service.     Country  people  have  a  splen- 
did chance  to  be  of  use 
in  the  world. 

The  world  depends 
upon  the  country  for 
its  food  and  clothing. 
The  country  gives 
health  and  character 
in  the  men  and  women 
that  it  sends  into  the 
world. 

Many  people  are 
learning  to  recognize 
the  greatness  of  the 
country's  mission.  It 
is  a  common  thing 
nowadays    to   meet    a 


4 


r  ^ 


^-^ 


"I'd- rather  raise  a  good   crop  of  po-     lawyer,    a   doCtOr,   Or   3. 
tatoes  than  win  a  case  before  the        -^      1        •  j 

supreme  court."  ^^^y  busmess  man,  and 

have  him  say  :  "  Yes, 
and  Fm  tired  of  it  all.  I  want  to  get  where  life  is 
real  and  true.  I  want  to  be  my  own  master,  and 
feel  that  I  am  getting  somewhere.  I'd  rather  raise  a 
good  crop  of  potatoes  than  win  a  case  before  the 
Supreme  Court,  so  I've  bought  a  farm,  and  I'm 
going  out  there  to  live." 


COUNTRY  AS   LIFE  GIVER  TO  WORLD     i8i 

Many  a  city  man  is  moving  into  the  country  be- 
cause he  feels  that  country  Hfe  is  more  reaL  Many 
a  city-bred  boy  is  taking  a  four-year  course  in  an 
agricuhural  college  and  setting  up  in  business  in 
the  land. 

The  country  has  a  mission  to  fulfill,  —  it  must 
feed  and  clothe  the  world,  and  give  physical  and 
spiritual  health  to  its  people.  It  is  clear  that  the 
best  food,  the  best  clothing,  and  the  best  physical 
and  spiritual  health  are  the  least  that  the  country 
can  afford  to  supply. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  which  the  country  supplies  to  the 
world. 

2.  What  is  necessary  before  many  of  the  things  which  the 
country  supplies  can  be  used  by  the  world  ?  Cite  several 
illustrations. 

3.  Does  the  farmer  sell  his  products  directly  or  indirectly  to 
the  city  consumer  ?     Why  ? 

4.  Where  are  the  greatest  savings  effected  ? 

5.  How  does  a  strike  or  a  blizzard  which  ties  up  the  city 
food  supply  show  the  extent  of  the  city's  dependence  on  the 
country  ? 

6.  What  other  work  of  the  country  is  quite  as  important  as 
the  feeding  and  clothing  of  mankind  ? 

7.  Why  does  the  world  need  leaders  ?  In  what  respects  is  it 
hard  on  its  leaders  ? 

8.  Make  a  list  of  the  reasons  why  city  life  is  severe. 

9.  Make  a  list  of  the  reasons  why  country  life  is  rugged. 

10.  What  are  the  outward  signs  of  rugged  health  ? 


1 82  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

11.  What  do  you  understand  by  "dynamic  activity"  ? 

12.  Describe  the  man  of  character, 

13.  What  is  the  mission  of  the  country  ? 

14.  How  is  the  greatness  of  this  mission  being  shown  ? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  list  of  the  chief  products  which  are  grown  on  your 
farm  and  tell  where  each  one  goes. 

II.  Do  the  , same  "thing  for  the  neighborhood;  for  the 
county. 

III.  If  the  products  are  sold  to  a  buyer  or  a  jobber,  find  out 
what  he  does  with  them. 

IV.  When  all  of  the  children  in  the  room  have  completed 
their  answers  to  Exercises  I,  II,  and  III,  take  an  outline  map 
of  the  United  States  and  make  a  cross  on  every  spot  to  which 
the  products  of  the  locality  are  sent. 

V.  If  there  are  derivatives  from  the  products  of  your  locality 
(for  example,  flour  derived  from  wheat  or  meat  products  derived 
from  farm  animals)  make  a  list  of  the  number  of  things  that 
result  indirectly  from  your  local  products. 

VI.  With  what  forms  of  direct  marketing  are  you  familiar.? 

VII.  Make  a  list  of  the  advantages  of  direct  marketing. 

VIII.  Write  a  letter  to  your  father  suggesting  some  methods 
of  direct  marketing  which  he  might  apply  to  the  products  on  his 
own  farm. 

IX.  Write  a  letter  to  the  mayor  and  alderman  in  the  nearest 
town,  suggesting  methods  by  which  direct  marketing  could  be 
started  in  his  town. 

X.  Draw  up  a  plan  for  an  annual  exhibit  to  be  held  in  the 
nearest  town  for  the  encouragement  of  direct  marketing. 

XI.  Write  a  letter  to  the  managers  of  the  county  fair  making 
suggestions  that  might  lead  to  the  development  of  direct  market- 
ing methods. 


COUNTRY  AS   LIFE  GIVER  TO  WORLD     183 

XII.  Write  a  letter  to  a  friend  in  town,  telling  what  you 
know  about  the  ruggedness  of  country  people. 

XIII.  Write  a  composition  explaining  why  country  people 
are  rugged  and  strong. 

XIV.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  that  are  responsible  for  the 
ruggedness  and  good  health  of  the  country. 

XV.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  that  prevent  country  people 
from  being  rugged  and  healthy. 

XVI.  What  people  in  your  neighborhood  have  the  best 
health  ?  Ask  them  why  their  health  is  good,  and  then  write  a 
composition  on  "The  Weight  of  Good  Health  in  Our  Neighbor- 
hood." 

XVII.  Give  some  instances  of  people  with  strong  characters. 

XVIII.  Why  is  character  important  in  your  home  ?  in  the 
school  ?  in  the  neighborhood  ?  in  public  life  ? 

XIX.  In  what  ways  may  character  be  developed  in  the 
home  ?  in  the  school  ?  in  the  neighborhood  .? 

XX.  Write  a  composition  on  "The  Mission  of  the  Country." 


CHAPTER   XVII 

The  Country  Community's  Work  for  Greater 
Production 

1.  All  Life  Is  Dependent  for  Food  upon  the  Prod- 
ucts of  the  Soil.  —  The  soil  is  the  greatest  gift  that 
has  been  given  to  the  people  living  in  the  world. 
Upon  it  life  depends. 

Suppose,  for  an  instant,  that  the  soil  should  be 
taken  away  and  that  there  were  no  more  the  kind  of 
an  earth's  surface  upon  which  plants  and  trees  and 
all  kinds  of  vegetation  could  grow.  Very  soon  all 
animals  in  the  world  would  die  from  starvation.  The 
soil  and  what  it  produces  make  the  foundation  for 
prosperity.  The  soil  is  necessary  for  the  main- 
tenance of  life. 

2.  The  Fertility  of  the  Soil  Must  Be  Conserved.  — 
This  is  not  only  necessary  for  good  farming ;  it  is 
necessary  for  good  citizenship.  It  is  the  responsi- 
bility of  the  farmer  towards  the  world  of  people  that 
he  must  help  to  feed,  and  towards  the  coming  genera- 
tions who,  in  the  future,  must  be  fed  from  the  prod- 
ucts of  the  land. 

184 


THE  COUNTRY  COMMUNITY'S  WORK    185 

The  amount  of  farm  land  on  the  earth's  surface  is 
limited.  The  number  of  people  in  the  world  is 
steadily  increasing.  It  is  possible  to  farm  in  a  way 
that  will  keep  the  soil  fertile  or  to  farm  in  a  way 
that  will  make  it  impossible  to  grow  a  crop  on  the 


0^      •^:' 


Ihe  Result  of  Unintelligent  Farming. 

land  after  a  few  years.  In  New  England  there  are  a 
great  many  abandoned  farms,  —  left  idle  because 
the  soil  has  become  too  worn  out  to  produce  a  crop. 
Even  the  wonderfully  fertile  black  loam  of  the  Corn 
Belt  is  showing  in  places  that  its  fertility  can  be 
exhausted  through  continuous  cropping  to  corn. 


1 86  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

The  plant  food  in  the  soil  is  like  money  deposited 
in  a  bank.  Every  time  a  crop  is  taken  from  the  soil 
it  takes  a  certain  amount  of  this  plant  food  from  the 
soil.  This  is  like  checks  drawn  on  a  bank  account. 
Every  one  knows  that  if  one  continues  to  check  on 
his  bank  account  without  making  any  deposits,  his 
balance  at  the  bank  will  diminish  until  he  will 
have  nothing  left  upon  which  to  check.  In  the  same 
way,  if  a  farmer  continually  takes  the  fertility  from 
the  soil  through  growing  crops  on  it  without  putting 
anything  back,  it  will  become  exhausted  and  it  will 
be  impossible  to  grow  any  more  crops  on  it. 

In  some  places,  it  is  not  the  growing  of  crops  that 
takes  from  the  fertility  of  the  soil.  The  rich  black 
loam  is  washed  away  by  the  streams.  This  great 
waste  can  be  seen  in  the  way  that  the  Mississippi 
River  fills  up  at  its  mouth  with  the  soil  washed  from 
the  farms  along  its  valley.  In  countries  that  are 
older,  like  China  and  Japan,  the  people  have  learned 
more  about  the  necessity  for  taking  care  of  the  soil, 
and  they  terrace  their  hills  so  that  not  a  particle 
of  soil  is  washed  away.  Trees  planted  on  hillside 
pastures  help,  too,  to  prevent  washing  away. 

3.  Rotation  of  Crops  Helps  to  Keep  the  Soil 
Fertile.  —  Every  kind  of  crop  takes  from  the  soil 
certain  kinds  of  plant  food.  These  differ  with  the 
different  crops.  Some  crops  even  help  put  back  into 
the  soil  certain  necessary  elements.  The  most  im- 
portant  of  these   is   the   legume   family,  —  clovers, 


THE  COUNTRY  COMMUNITY'S   WORK   187 

cowpeas,  alfalfa,  — which  have  tubercles  on  the  roots 
that  draw  the  nitrogen  from  the  air  and  change  it 
so  it  can  be  used  in  the  soil.  As  corn  and  wheat 
and  certain  other  grain  crops  take  much  nitrogen 


Alfalfa. 


from  the  soil,  it  helps  to  follow  them  with  a  legume 
which  will  deposit  a  supply  of  nitrogen  in  the  soil. 

Since  each  crop  grown  in  the  soil  takes  out  certain 
elements  of  plant  food,  it  is  easy  to  understand 
how  growing  the  same  crop  year  after  year  on  a 
piece  of  land,  takes  from  it  all  of  a  certain  kind  of 


i88  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

plant  food.  Some  farmers  grow  the  same  crop  con- 
tinuously because  it  is  the  crop  for  which  they  can 
secure  the  largest  immediate  cash  returns.  This  is 
often  the  case  with  wheat  in  the  great  Northwest  and 
with  corn  in  the  Corn  Belt.  But,  though  the  im- 
mediate cash  returns  for  a  few  years  may  be  greater, 
it  is  not  long  until  the  land  begins  to  produce  less  to 
the  acre  and  if  the  practice  is  continued  the  yield 
will  become  much  smaller.  In  the  long  run,  an 
intelligent  rotation  of  crops  pays  in  the  value  of  the 
crops  produced  as  well  as  in  the  way  in  which  it 
maintains  the  fertility  of  the  soil. 

4.  The  Greatest  Possible  Production  on  Every 
Acre  is  the  Standard.  —  This  means  the  putting  of 
a  great  deal  of  thought  and  planning  and  study 
into  the  work  of  farming. 

Colleges  of  Agriculture  are  showing  methods 
which  will  mean  a  large  production  to  the  acre. 
They  have  established  Experimental  Stations  where 
they  are  producing  improved  strains  of  seed  which 
have  high-yielding  qualities.  Here,  too,  they  are 
finding  out  the  best  methods  of  cultivation  and  of 
planting.  Through  their  Extension  Departments 
they  tell  all  the  people  on  farms  the  things  which 
they  have  found  are  true  about  the  possibilities  for 
greater  production. 

The  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  is 
working  for  greater  production,  too.  Besides  the 
bulletins  which  they  send  out,  they  conduct  many 


THE  COUNTRY  COMMUNITY'S  WORK    189 

helpful  experiments.  They  send  men  into  distant 
countries  in  search  of  new  varieties  of  crops  that 
can  be  grown  to  advantage  in  our  country.  Then 
they  send  out  these  seeds  to  farmers  in  order  that 
they  may  get  new  varieties  started.  From  the  De- 
partment of  Agriculture,  farmers  can  secure  on  re- 


Wichita  Falls  Experiment  Farm,  Wichita  Falls,  Texas. 

quest  the  bacteria  that  is  necessary  for  the  soil  in 
order  that  alfalfa  will  grow  in  it,  They  help,  too, 
in  fighting  all  kinds  of  plant  diseases  that  tend  to 
decrease  production. 

It  pays  to  make  use  of  every  available  resource 
in  working  for  greater  production.  A  farmer  once 
thought  that  he  could  find  out  all  that  he  needed  to 
know   about   farming   by  just   working   things  out 


I90  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

himself.  So  he  worked  very  hard  for  many  years. 
He  learned  many  things  through  experience.  Just 
when  he  had  begun  to  find  the  best  ways  to  do  things, 
he  was  old  and  had  to  give  up  farming. 

When  he  was  old  and  had  quit  farming,  he  took 
time  to  read  and  then  he  discovered  that  many  of 
the  things  that  he  had  been  years  and  years  finding 
out  had  already  been  worked  out  by  the  Colleges 
of  Agriculture  and  that  he  might  have  had  the 
information  to  use  from  the  very  start  as  a  young 
farmer.  Then  he  saw  how  foolish  he  had  been  and 
he  determined  that  his  sons  should  all  be  educated 
for  their  work  as  farmers  and  in  this  way  have  the 
benefit  of  all  the  best  experience  and  knowledge 
about  agriculture  before  they  began. 

5.  Production  Depends  upon  the  Soil,  the  Seed, 
and  the  Climate.  —  Not  only  the  fertility  of  the 
soil,  but  the  way  in  which  the  seed  bed  is  prepared 
influences  production.  Deep  plowing  makes  the 
fertility  of  the  soil  available.  A  surface  well  culti- 
vated helps  to  hold  the  moisture  in  for  the  use  of  the 
plants. 

With  the  soil  carefully  prepared  and  cultivated, 
the  matter  of  greatest  importance  is  the  kind  of  seed 
used.  It  takes  as  long  to  plow  and  cultivate  a 
field  that  has  a  poor  stand  of  cotton  as  it  does  one 
with  a  perfect  stand.  All  seeds  that  are  planted  by 
a  farmer  should  be  carefully  selected  from  varieties 
that  have  been  bred  for  high-yielding  qualities,  and 


THE  COUNTRY  COMMUNITY'S  WORK     191 

all  seeds  should  be  tested  before  planting  to  be  sure 
that  they  will  grow. 

For  the  selection  of  the  right  type  of  high-yielding 
seed,  there  have  been  certain  standards  worked  out 


All  seeds  should  be  tested  before  planting. 

which  are  expressed  in  score  cards.  Score  cards 
for  judging  oats,  corn,  potatoes,  and  other  varieties  of 
seeds  can  be  secured  from  the  Extension  Depart- 
ments of  the  Colleges  of  Agriculture.  These  all 
country  boys  and  girls  should  study. 


192 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


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Score  cards  for  judging  corn  and  other  varieties  of  seed  can  be  secured 
from  the  extension  department  of  the  colleges  of  agriculture. 


THE  COUNTRY  COMMUNITY'S  WORK    193 


6.  There  Should  Be  No  Waste  Land.  —  Every 
country  boy  and  girl  can  think  of  waste  places  in 
the  farms  they  know,  —  corners  where  the  weeds 
have  grown  up  ;  back-pasture  swamps  where  nothing 
grows  well  but  cat  tails  ;   and  such  neglected  places. 


qn  Lt4a_niB.i 


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sn 


1  nere  should  be  no  waste  land. 

But  they,  probably,  do  not  realize  that  not  a  fourth 
of  the  arable  land  in  our  country  is  under  cultivation. 
Great  tracts  of  land  are  being  held  out  of  cultiva- 
tion by  their  owners  until  the  price  of  land  increases. 
Other  tracts  are  waiting  for  the  right  kind  of  drainage 
and  tilling.  Thousands  of  acres  can  be  irrigated  and 
will  be  as  soon  as  the  people  realize  the  great  impor- 


194 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


tance  of  securing  the  maximum  production  from  all 
the  land  that  can  be  cultivated. 

Perhaps  the  boys  and  girls  in  the  country  to-day, 
with  their  understanding  of  the  importance  of  greater 
production  and  their  great  interest  in  intelligent  agri- 


The  increase  of  production  is  a  community  concern. 

culture,  may  see  the  time  when  all  the  land  of  our 
nation  that  can  be  cultivated  and  on  which  crops 
will  grow  is  made  to  produce. 

7.  The  Increase  of  Production  Is  a  Community 
Concern.  —  The  farmer  who  carefully  plans  his 
crops  and  his  methods  of  farming  so  that  his  land  will 
be  as  fertile  ten  years  from  now  as  it  is  at  the  present 


THE   COUNTRY  COMMUNITY'S  WORK    195 

time  is  a  good  citizen.  The  farmer  who  carelessly 
mines  the  plant  food  in  his  land,  getting  from  it  all 
the  money  he  can  with  the  least  work,  regardless  of 
the  fact  that  he  will  leave  the  land  worn  out  in  a 
few  years,  is  not  a  good  citizen.  While  a  farmer  is 
apt  to  think  of  the  land  that  he  owns  or  rents  as  his 
to  farm  as  he  wishes,  it  is  really  only  a  trust.  He  is 
bound  by  his  relationship  to  others  as  a  part  of  a 
community  of  people,  to  take  care  of  this  land  that 
has  been  entrusted  to  him  and  to  leave  it  fertile 
for  those  who  come  after  him. 

Now,  there  are  a  good  many  farmers  who  are 
getting  a  high  rate  of  production  from  their  farms. 
But  there  are  many  others  who  have  not  reached 
even  the  average  in  production.  Together,  the 
people  of  the  nation  and  the  state  and  the  neighbor- 
hood must  work  for  greater  production  in  such  a  way 
that  they  can  be  of  help  to  the  farmer  who  is  produc- 
ing the  least. 

Many  counties  now  have  county  agricultural 
agents  or  demonstrators  who  are  leaders  for  greater 
productions  as  well  as  for  other  important  movements 
of  country  people.  Our  farmers  have  much  to  do 
yet  in  bringing  about  the  greatest  production  on 
every  acre  and  a  county  leader  in  the  work  is  of 
great  value.  In  this  way,  they  unite  and  through 
uniting  make  larger  yields  possible  on  every  farm. 


196  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  Why  is  the  soil  so  important  a  natural  resource  ? 

2.  How  does  the  soil  compare  in  importance  with  great 
industrial  interests  ? 

3.  Why  is  it  necessary  to  keep  the  soil  fertile  ? 

4.  What  are  some  of  the  evidences  in  our  own  country  that 
the  fertility  of  the  soil  can  be  exhausted  ? 

5.  Compare  the  plant  food  in  the  soil  with  a  deposit  in  the 
bank. 

6.  What  effect  has  the  growing  of  crops  on  the  soil  ?  Give 
an  example  of  a  crop  that  puts  back  in  the  soil  an  element  of 
plant  food. 

7.  State  the  reason  for  crop  rotation.     Does  it  pay  ? 

8.  Give  your  idea  of  the  way  a  farmer  who  is  a  good  citizen 
will  keep  up  his  soil. 

9.  Upon  what  does  a  large  yield  depend  .'' 

10.  Explain  ways  in  which  the  soil  affects  the  yield. 

11.  Tell  all  you  can  about  the  selection  and  testing  of  seed. 

12.  How  are  the  standards  for  selecting  seed  expressed.'' 

13.  Why  is  not  all  the  land  on  which  crops  can  be  raised 
cultivated  .? 

14.  Why  must  people  work  together  in  order  to  secure  the 
greatest  production .? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  collection  of  the  different  kinds  of  soil  in  your 
school  district.     This  can  be  put  into  small  bottles. 

II.  Write  to  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture 
and  ask  if  a  soil  survey  has  been  made  of  your  county  and,  if  so, 
ask  that  one  be  sent  you.  If  no  soil  survey  has  been  made  of 
your  own  county,  ask  for  one  of  the  nearest  county  to  you 
that  has  been  surveyed  in  this  respect. 


THE  COUNTRY  COMMUNITY'S   WORK    197 

III.  Make  a  general  soil  survey  of  your  own  district.  What 
kinds  of  soil  are  there  in  it  and  where  is  each  kind  located  ? 
For  what  are  the  different  kinds  specially  adapted  .? 

IV.  What  is  the  common  practice  of  crop  rotation  in  your 
school  district  ? 

V.  How  long  have  the  farms  in  the  district  been  under 
cultivation  ?  Ask  three  of  the  farmers  who  have  lived  there 
longest  whether  the  land  has  lost  any  of  its  fertility. 

VI.  Write  a  composition  on  the  subject :  "The  Best  Plan  for 
Keeping  the  Soil  on  My  Home  Farrn  Fertile." 

VII.  If  fertilizers  are  used  in  your  community,  study  the  best 
methods  of  using  them.  Consult  with  those  who  know  in 
regard  to  their  use. 

VIII.  Make  a  plan  for  a  model  farm,  making  out  the  crop 
rotation  for  each  field  for  five  years. 

IX.  Find  the  average  yield  per  acre  for  the  past  year  for  the 
leading  crops  of  your  county.  (This  information  can  probably 
be  secured  from  the  county  auditor's  office.) 

X.  How  many  acres  were  planted  to  each  of  these  crops  in 
your  school  district  the  past  year .''  How  many  bushels  would 
be  produced  at  the  average  yield  of  the  county  ? 

XI.  What  was  the  highest  yield  per  acre  for  each  of  these 
crops  on  any  farm  in  your  school  district  ?  How  many  bushels 
of  each  crop  would  have  been  produced  in  the  district  at  this 
rate  of  yield  per  acre  .'' 

XII.  At  market  prices  what  would  be  the  difference  in  the 
value  of  each  crop  in  your  district,  between  the  average  for  the 
county  and  the  highest  yield  in  the  district  ? 

XIII.  What  plan  do  you  think  could  be  followed  to  help 
make  it  possible  for  every  farm  in  the  district  to  produce  as 
much  per  acre  as  the  highest  yield  produced  in  the  district  I 

XIV.  Write  to  your  College  of  Agriculture  for  score  cards 
for  judging  corn  and  oats  and  any  other  kinds  of  seeds  of  local 
importance. 


198  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

XV.  Test  some  sample  of  seed  from  the  seed  that  is  to  be 
planted  on  a  farm  in  the  district. 

XVI.  Write  a  paragraph  on  "The  Importance  of  Selecting 
and  Testing  Seed  before  Planting  It." 

XVII.  In  what  ways  do  you  think  a  school  can  help  in 
encouraging  greater  production  in  the  school  district .? 

XVIII.  Make  a  map  of  your  farm,  showing  any  waste  places 
on  it  and  telling  how  you  think  these  waste  places  could  be  used. 

XIX.  Make  a  map  of  your  school  district,  showing  any  land 
not  under  cultivation,  stating  how  you  think  such  land  could  be 
brought  into  cultivation  and  made  to  produce. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

The   Country  Community's   Gains  through 
Cooperation 

I.  Loyalty  Begins  at  Home.  —  There  is  much  talk 
of  patriotism,  —  of  loyalty  to  the  nation.  Loyalty 
to  the  family  and  loyalty  to  the  community  are  the 
real  basis  of  true  patriotism. 

It  is  easier  to  be  patriotic  to  the  nation  on  Memorial 
Day  and  on  the  Fourth  of  July  than  it  is  to  be  loyal 
to  the  family  and  the  neighborhood  on  three  hundred 
and  sixty-five  days  in  each  year.  The  three-hundred- 
and-sixty-five-day  loyalty  counts  for  most,  however. 
It  begins  in  the  simplest  way  and  leads  farthest. 

There  is  no  place  like  the  home  to  cultivate  loyalty. 
There  can  be  loyalty  in  work  and  in  play,  loyalty 
at  breakfast,  and  in  the  evening  before  the  fire. 
There  is  the  loyalty  of  father  and  mother  to  children, 
of  children  to  father  and  mother,  and  of  brothers 
and  sisters  to  one  another.  From  babyhood,  loyalty 
develops  in  the  home,  and  it  is  the  basis  of  all  other 
loyalty. 

Boys  and  girls  often  feel  that  they  would  like  a 
chance  to  die  for  their  country  on  a  glorious   field 

199 


200 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


of  battle,  with  drums  beating,  bugles  playing,  and 
flags  fluttering  in  the  reign  of  shot  and  shell.  There 
is  no  necessity  of  waiting  to  be  loyal  until  some  such 
bloody  opportunity  ofi^ers   itself.     The  time   to  be 


There  is  no  place  like  the  home  to  cultivate  loyalty. 

loyal  is  now.  The  place  to  be  loyal  is  the  place  where 
you  now  are. 

Loyalty  does  not  begin  on  battle  fields.  It  begins 
in  the  local  community.  Patriotism  is  not  taught  at 
the  cannon's  mouth.  It  is  taught  on  the  hearth- 
stone. 

The  boy  or  the  girl  who  is  looking  for  a  chance  to 
die  for  the  country  would  do  a  far  greater  service  by 
living  for  the  country.     The  man  and  woman  who 


GAINS  THROUGH  COOPERATION         201 

raise  a  family  of  stalwart  sons  and  daughters  have 
done  far  more  for  the  country  than  the  man  who  has 
shot  down  its  enemies.  True  patriotism  involves 
the  service  of  one's  country  at  home  as  well  as  abroad. 

2.  Community  Life  Is  Built  upon  Loyalty.  —  The 
first  place  to  learn  loyalty  is  the  home.  The  second 
place  to  learn  it  is  the  community.  Loyalty  to  the 
neighborhood,  the  church,  the  school,  and  the 
grange  teaches  a  never-to-be-forgotten  lesson  in 
the  patriotism  that  begins  close  at  hand. 

All  men  are  not  called  to  serve  their  country  at 
Washington.  All  men  cannot  be  Federal  attorneys, 
or  judges,  or  Congressmen,  or  cabinet  members. 
All  men  can  be  loyal  citizens  of  the  communities  in 
which  they  live. 

A  man  can  best  serve  his  country  by  serving  his 
community.  A  country  is  made  up  of  communities, 
just  as  a  community  is  made  up  of  homes.  The  only 
successful  way  to  build  a  nation  is  to  begin  with 
communities.  In  forging  a  chain,  it  is  necessary  to 
make  it  link  by  link.  If  all  the  links  are  strong,  it  is 
a  strong  chain. 

3.  Cooperation  Is  the  Result  of  Loyalty.  —  Once  a 
spirit  of  community  loyalty  is  developed,  cooperation 
follows  as  a  matter  of  course. 

There  are  some  things  that  can  be  done  by  the 
community  better  than  they  can  be  done  by  any 
single  individual  in  the  community.  Schools  can 
be    developed,    roads    can    be    improved,    shipping 


202 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


facilities  can  be  increased,  libraries  and  recreation 
centers  can  be  provided  by  the  community  and  by 
it  alone.  No  individual  can  maintain  schoolhouses 
or  build  roads.     These  things  make  up  community 


No  individual  can  maintain  schoolhouses  or  build  roads. 


business  and  they  must  be  attended  to  by  the  com- 
munity. 

One  of  the  most  important  experiments  in  com- 
munity loyalty  is  the  cooperative  marketing  asso- 
ciation. The  farmer  of  to-day  faces  great  business 
problems.  These  are  as  great  as  are  the  problems 
of  production  and  of  the  conservation  of  the  fertility 
of  the  soil.  Much  of  the  advantage  the  farmer  has 
gained  through  being  a  better  producer,  he  has  lost 
through  not  being  able  to  dispose  of  his  crop,  at  good 
prices. 


GAINS  THROUGH  COOPERATION        203 

In  this  way,  a  great  crop  of  peaches  may  go  to 
waste  because  there  seems  to  be  no  way  of  marketing 
them.  The  producer  may  receive  three  and  a  half 
cents  a  quart  for  milk  that  sells  at  eight  cents  a 
quart.  In  eggs  and  poultry,  in  vegetables  and  in 
grain,  the  same  wide  difference  usually  exists  between 
the  price  received  by  the  person  who  produced  the 
articles  and  the  price  paid  by  the  person  who  finally 
uses  them.  If  a  more  direct  way  could  be  found 
between  the  farmer  and  the  one  who  uses  what  he 
produces,  it  would  be  possible  for  the  farmer  to 
receive  more  for  his  work  and  for  the  people  in  general 
to  secure  food  at  lower  prices. 

But  in  this,  to  a  greater  extent  than  in  any  other, 
community  marketing  depends  for  its  success  upon 
the  finest  kind  of  cooperation.  Those  who  have  had 
successful  experience  in  community  marketing  as- 
sociations say :  "  Members  must  believe  in  coopera- 
tion and  in  each  other.  Without  abiding  faith  and 
loyalty  on  the  part  of  the  members,  it  is  useless  to 
endeavor  to  form  a  permanent  association  of  this 
kind." 

4.  Cooperation  Has  Succeeded.  —  Almost  every- 
where in  Europe  farmers  have  secured  great  financial 
advantage  and  conducted  their  business  in  a  keen 
and  successful  way  through  buying  and  selling 
together.  In  some  countries,  the  results  of  these 
cooperative  business  methods  have  been  wonderful. 

Denmark    has    become   world-famous    and    rich 


204  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

through  its  cooperative  production  and  marketing 
of  eggs,  poultry,  cheese,  and  bacon.  And  Httle 
Ireland,  for  many  years  the  poorest  country  in 
Europe,  has  made  wonderful  progress  in  its  agricul- 
ture simply  because  of  the  businesslike  way  in  which 
it  has  developed  cooperative  societies  to  handle  the 
buying  and  selling  of  their  agricultural  require- 
ments. 

Cooperation  has  succeeded  in  the  United  States. 
Minnesota  has  many  successful  cooperative  cream- 
eries. In  one  of  these  they  have,  also,  started  a  co- 
operative laundry  where  the  laundry  work  for  all 
the  community  is  done. 

Wisconsin,  too,  has  been  leading  in  the  solution  of 
the  business  problems  of  farmers  through  its  co- 
operative cheese  factories  and  creameries.  In  some 
places  in  Wisconsin  they  have  united  in  buying  pure- 
bred cattle.  Through  the  Middle  West,  there  are 
many  successful  cooperative  grain  elevators.  The 
Associated  Raisin  Company  of  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley  of  California  and  the  Citrus  Fruit  Associations 
of  the  same  state  are  well  known  through  the  wonder- 
ful results  they  have  obtained. 

In  the  South  the  idea  of  cooperative  handling  of 
business  among  farmers  is  taking  hold  and  is  succeed- 
ing. Altogether,  though  the  United  States  has  not 
developed  so  far  in  this  as  European  countries  have, 
it  has  gone  far  enough  to  show  that  the  same  ideals 
of  cooperative   buying  and   selling  on   the  part  of 


GAINS  THROUGH  COOPERATION         205 

agricultural    producers    will    bring    added    financial 
returns  and  a  great  measure  of  success. 

5.  Cooperative  Business  Methods  Consider  the 
Good  of  All.  —  "  You  see  I  am  wanting  to  help  the 
fellow  that  is  having  a  hard  time  to  make  his  farming 
go,"  said  a  fine  president  of  a  Creamery  Association 
in  North  Carolina.  Then  he  added,  "  That  is  what 
we  can  do,  too,  by  all  working  together." 

Recently  the  president  sent  a  number  of  men  to 
Europe  to  study  their  methods  of  farm  credits  and 
banking  and  business  cooperation.  When  these  men 
reported,  they  said  that  the  wonderful  results  were 
made  possible  in  Europe  through  the  vision  of  great 
leaders  who  saw  the  needs  of  country  communities 
as  a  whole  and  sacrificed  all  personal  interests  and 
gave  of  their  time  and  strength  to  the  utmost  in 
order  that  better  things  might  come  to  all. 
.  As  cooperative  associations  increase  in  our  own 
nation  there  will  be  a  constantly  increasing  need  for 
men  and  women  of  this  clear  insight  into  the  meaning 
of  unselfish  service.  Through  such  men  and  women 
and  such  cooperation  the  business  problems  of  the 
country  can  be  solved. 

6.  Country  Boys  and  Girls  Should  Be  Loyal  to 
the  Countryside.  —  Community  life  and  community 
success  depend  on  such  loyalty.  Each  country 
boy  and  girl  should  write  a  declaration  of  faith  in 
the  country.  Words  without  deeds  do  not  go  very 
far,  but  it  is  often  important  to  put  down  in  words 


2o6  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

the  things  in  which  we  beheve.  It  makes  a  goal  to 
work  toward,  and  keeps  before  the  mind  the  things 
we  want  to  do. 

Here  is  a  statement  of  the  behef  of  a  country 
boy: 

/  believe  in  SOMERTON. 

I  believe  in  its  Past,  —  in  the  men  and  women  who 
have  lived  before  me;  whose  toil  cleared  the  land,  made 
it  productive,  erected  the  buildings,  laid  out  the  roads, 
and  constructed  the  bridges;  whose  foresight  founded 
the  churches,  the  schools,  and  the  public  buildings; 
and  whose  love  and  devotion  set  up  homes  and  raised 
children  to  be  strong  men  and  women. 

I  believe  in  its  Present,  —  in  the  men  and  women 
and  children  about  me  who  are  living,  working,  and 
playing  together;  in  the  homes  and  the  families; 
in  the  schoolhouse,  the  library,  the  grange,  and  the 
church;  in  the  growing  prosperity  of  the  community ; 
in  beauty,  friendliness,  and  comradeship;  and  in 
the  spirit  of  neighborliness  and  good  will  that  makes 
these  things  possible. 

I  believe  in  its  Future,  —  in  the  men  and  women 
and  children  who  will  come  after  me.  I  believe  that 
the  things  that  have  been  done  are  only  a  beginning  in 
comparison  with  the  more  splendid  things  that  are  to 
be  done.  I  believe  that  the  homes  of  to-day  will  give- 
place  to  finer  homes  to-morrow;  that  the  schools  of 
to-day  will  be  bettered  by  the  schools  of  to-morrow ;  that 


GAINS   THROUGH   COOPERATION         207 

better  roads  and  railroads,  better  amusements,  better 
farm  machinery,  and  better  town  governments  are 
coming.  I  believe  that  all  of  these  promises  of  the 
future  will  be  but  a  part  of  that  great  promise  of  each 
new  generation  grown  nobler  than  the  last,  —  more 
useful,  sympathetic,  neighborly,  democratic,  and  pros- 
perous. 

This  is  the  creed  of  a  country  girl : 

/  am  glad  I  live  in  the  country.  I  love  its  beauty 
and  its  spirit.  I  rejoice  in  the  things  I  can  do  as  a 
country  girl  for  my  home  and  my  neighborhood. 

I  believe  I  can  share  in  the  beauty  around  me,  —  in 
the  fragrance  of  the  orchards  in  spring,  in  the  weight 
of  the  ripe  wheat  at  harvest,  in  the  morning  song  of 
birds  and  in  the  glow  of  the  sunset  on  the  far  horizon. 
I  want  to  express  this  beauty  in  my  own  life  as  natu- 
rally and  happily  as  the  wild  rose  blooms  by  the  road- 
side. 

I  believe  I  can  have  a  part  in  the  courageous  spirit 
of  the  country.  This  spirit  has  entered  into  the  brook 
in  our  pasture.  The  stones  placed  in  its  way  call 
forth  its  strength  and  add  to  its  strength  a  song.  It 
dwells  in  the  tender  plants  as  they  burst  the  seed  cases 
that  imprison  them  and  push  through  the  dark  earth 
to  the  light.  It  sounds  in  the  nesting  notes  of  the 
meadow  lark.  With  this  courageous  spirit  I,  too, 
can  face  the  hard  things  of  life  with  gladness. 

I  believe  there  is  much  I  can  do  in  my  country  home. 


2o8  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

Through  studying  the  best  way  to  do  my  everyday 
work  I  can  find  joy  in  common  tasks  done  well.  Through 
loving  comradeship  I  can  help  bring  into  my  home 
the  happiness  and  peace  that  are  always  so  near  us  in 
God's  out-of-door  world.  Through  such  a  home  I 
can  help  make  real  to  all  who  pass  that  way  their 
highest  ideal  of  country  life. 

I  believe  my  love  and  loyalty  for  my  country  home 
should  reach  out  in  service  to  that  larger  home  that  we 
call  our  neighborhood.  I  would  join  with  the  people 
who  live  there  in  true  friendliness.  I  would  whole- 
heartedly give  my  best  to  further  all  that  is  being  done 
for  a  better  community.  I  would  have  all  that  I  think 
and  say  and  do  help  to  uniie  country  people  near  and 
far  in  that  great  Kingdom  of  Love  for  Neighbors 
which  the  Master  came  to  establish,  —  the  Master  who 
knew  and  cared  for  country  ways  and  country  folk. 

Some  people  will  put  their  declaration  of  loyalty 
in  one  form,  and  some  people  will  put  it  in  another. 
In  any  case,  it  is  the  strong,  free  expression  of  the 
belief  which  each  country  boy  and  country  girl 
has  in  the  home,  the  neighborhood,  and  the  com- 
munity. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  Where  does  loyalty  begin  ?     Why  ? 

2.  How  does  loyalty  become  a  matter  of  habit  ? 

3.  How  do  some  boys  and  girls  feel  about  being  loyal  to  their 
country  ? 


GAINS  THROUGH  COOPERATION         209 

4.  How  do  you  explain  the  fact  that  a  man  can  best  serve  his 
country  by  serving  his  community  ? 

5.  What    relation    exists    between    them    and    community 
life  ? 

6.  Name  some  of  the  ways  in  which  community  loyalty  is 
developed. 

7.  Make  a  list  of  some  things  which  must  be  handled  by  the 
community  and  not  by  single  individuals.     Why  ? 

8.  How  does  difficulty  in  marketing  affect  farmers  .? 

9.  Explain  the  kind  of  cooperation    necessary  in  order  to 
secure  good  markets. 

10.  Tell  of  the  success  of  cooperation  in  other  countries. 

11.  How  do   the   farmers   in   these   countries   plan   for  the 
handling  of  their  products  .'' 

12.  Tell  about    the  success  of   cooperation  in   the  United 
States. 

13.  What  is  considered  in  determining  the  business  methods 
of  cooperative  associations  .? 

14.  What  kind  of  men  and  women  are  needed  to  make  such 
plans  succeed  .<* 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Write  a  letter  to  a  friend  explaining  why  you  are  loyal  to 
your  home. 

II.  Do  the  same  thing  for  your  school;    for  your  neighbor- 
hood. 

III.  You  are  patriotic.     Why  .'' 

IV.  What  do  you  consider  the  most  important  thing  about 
patriotism  ? 

V.  Are  you  loyal  to  your  friends  .? 

VI.  Write  a  composition  on  "Loyalty  and  Friendship." 

VII.  Would  you  be  loyal  to  a  friend  whether  he  was  in  the 
right  or  in  the  wrong  ? 


2TO  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

VIII.  Would  you  be  loyal  to  the  county  whether  it  was  in 
the  right  or  in  the  wrong  ? 

IX.  Name  some  of  the  ways  in  which  a  habit  of  loyalty  could 
be  cultivated:  (i)  In  the  home,  (2)  In  the  school.  (3)  In 
the  neighborhood.     (4)  In  the  nation. 

X.  In  what  ways  would  loyalty  build  up  your  home  ?  your 
neighborhood  ? 

XI.  Who  are  the  most  loyal  people  that  you  know  ? 

XII.  Can  you  think  of  some  good  instance  of  loyalty  which 
you  have  seen  ?     Tell  about  it. 

XIII.  Is  there  any  difference  between  loyalty  to  a  principle 
and  loyalty  to  a  person  ? 

XIV.  Get  from  your  nearest  postmaster  full  information  as 
to  the  kinds  of  packages  recommended  by  the  Postmaster 
General  for  shipping  produce. 

XV.  Are  the  people  who  live  in  your  school  district  cooperat- 
ing in  buying  or  selling  ? 

XVI.  Do  you  think  the  school  could  help  as  a  center  for 
working  out  some  plan  of  cooperation  .? 

XVII.  Suppose  the  people  of  the  district  should  decide  to 
sell  their  eggs  together;  give  a  full  and  practical  plan  that 
you  think  they  could  follow. 

XVIII.  If  the  people  in  your  community  should  unite  for 
business  reasons,  what  products  do  you  think  they  could 
handle  the  most  successfully  ? 

XIX.  Write  about  the  success  of  cooperation  in  some  coun- 
try.    Look  this  up  and  study  in  full. 

XX.  Write  a  declaration  of  faith  in  your  home;  in  your 
community. 

XXI.  Write  a  letter  to  a  friend  telling  the  ways  in  which 
you  show  your  faith  in  your  home ;  in  your  friends ;  in  your 
neighborhood. 

XXII.  Write  an  essay  on  "The  Value  of  Loyalty." 


CHAPTER   XIX 

The  Country  Community's  Work  for  Good 

Roads 

I.  Good  Roads  Help  Build  Up  a  Community.  —  All 
history  shows  how  dependent  advance  in  civiHza- 
tion  is  upon  the  maintenance  of  the  right  kind  of 
roads.  When  the  Romans  were  working  on  the 
great  problem  of  bringing  their  civilization  to  new 
countries  one  of  the  first  things  they  did  was  to 
build  roads. 

John  Frederic  Oberlin,  a  great  country  preacher 
and  leader,  started  his  work  with  the  people  by 
going  with  them  to  build  roads  through  their  coun- 
try and  across  the  mountains.  Roads  are  of  great 
influence  in  developing  communities  because  they 
furnish  a  way  for  people  to  get  together. 

Good  roads  take  away  all  loneliness  from  life  in 
the  country.  They  make  it  possible  for  people  to 
visit  together  and  hold  meetings.  Not  only  do 
such  roads  furnish  a  greater  chance  for  social  times, 
they  open  the  way  for  the  shipping  out  of  the  prod- 
ucts of  the  farms. 

Roads  are  like  the  blood  vessels  of  the  human 


212 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


body  to  the  country  community.  They  carry  the 
streams  of  Hfe  from  one  farm  to  another.  That 
they  should  be  well  kept  up,  and  in  good  condition 
for  travel  at  all  times,  is  vital  to  progress  of  any 
country  neighborhood.  Every  person  who  lives 
in  the  country  should  work  enthusiastically  for  good 


Good  roads  take  away  all  loneliness  from  life  in  the  country. 

roads.  Nothing  has  a  greater  influence  in  the  build- 
ing up  of  the  community.  Nothing  helps  more  in 
binding  together  the  people  of  the  neighborhood. 
2.  Permanent  Roads  Are  Worth  What  They  Cost 
to  the  Community.  —  Each  year  there  are  added 
many  miles  of  brick,  macadam,  and  other  kinds  of 
permanent  roads  in  the  country  districts  of  our  na- 
tion. It  is  expensive  to  build  these  roads.  In 
some  places  and  for  certain  roads,  the  state  helps 


WORK   FOR  GOOD   ROADS  213 

with  the  expense,  but  for  the  most  part,  the  expense 
is  borne  by  the  farmers  adjoining  the  road. 

Wherever  there  are  such  roads,  it  is  the  general 
beHef  that  they  have  paid  in  convenience  and  com- 
fort, in  better  marketing  conditions  and  in  the 
added  value  of  the  land.  Often  in  the  South, 
several  cotton  bales  can  be  seen  piled  by  the  side 
of  a  macadam  road  where  a  cross  road  which  is 
muddy  and  rough  joins  it.  The  people  who  live 
there  will  tell  you  that  these  bales  are  drawn  there 
one  at  a  time  over  the  bad  cross  roads  and  stacked 
on  the  macadam  road,  from  which  they  will  be  all 
loaded  on  at  once  and  taken  on  into  town.  These 
farmers  do  not  need  to  be  urged  as  to  the  value  of 
building  such  roads.  They  know  from  experience 
that  it  pays. 

3.  Dirt  Roads  Can  Be  Much  Improved  by  Using 
the  Road  Drag.  —  It  will  be  a  very  long  time  before 
any  of  the  country  roads,  except  those  most  fre- 
quently traveled  can  be  paved.  This  makes  it 
very  important  to  consider  how  dirt  roads  can  be 
kept  up  and  made  good  for  traveling.  One  of  the 
best  methods  is  the  use  of  the  split-log  road  drag. 
This  was  thought  out  by  a  Missouri  farmer,  D.  Ward 
King.  So  simple  and  practical  is  the  plan,  that  the 
United  States  Government  has  published  a  bulle- 
tin about  it  and  has  made  Mr.  King  one  of  the 
advisory  experts  on  good  roads. 

The  bulletin  published  by  the  United  States  De- 


214 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


partment  of  Agriculture  on  the  Split-log  Road  Drag, 
tells  exactly  how  to  make  and  use  one  of  these 
devices.     Like  every  other  simple  device,  it  must  be 

made  in  exactly  the 
right  way  and  used  in- 
telligently in  order  to 
secure  the  best  results. 
In  one  county  all 
the  country  schools 
sent  for  this  bulletin 
and  made  model  road 
drags.  These  were 
sent  in  to  a  county 
contest.  The  boy  who 
had  made  the  best 
model  split-log  road 
drag  had  said  at  first, 
"My  grandfather 
makes  a  road  drag 
that  is  much  better 
than  this."  But  as  he 
studied  into  the  bulle- 
tin, he  began  to  under- 
stand the  reasons  for 
making  the  road  drag  in  just  the  way  Mr.  King 
advised  and  after  he  talked  it  all  over  with  his 
grandfather,  he  agreed  with  Mr.  King's  way,  too. 

If  the  drag  is  used  after  every  rain,  when  the  road 
is  just  beginning  to  get  dry,  it  will  make  a  smooth, 


Dirt  roads  can  be  much  improved  by 
using  the  road  drag. 


WORK  FOR  GOOD   ROADS  215 

hard  road  bed  and  one  which  slopes  up  towards  the 
center,  making  very  good  drainage.  In  some  states, 
there  is  a  law  requiring  the  roads  to  be  dragged. 
It  is  possible  to  improve  dirt  roads  very  much  by 
using  the  split-log  road  drag. 

4.  Country  Boys  and  Girls  Should  Have  a  Stand- 
ard for  Good  Roads.  —  Score  cards  are  made  to 
teach  the  standards  for  good  seed.  Could  a  score 
card  be  made  for  fixing  the  standards  for  good  roads  ^ 
If  so,  certain  points  would  have  to  be  included. 

One  of  the  most  fundamental  of  these  is  the  con- 
tour of  the  road.  It  should  be  higher  in  the  center 
and  slope  gradually  towards  each  side.  In  this 
way  the  water  will  all  run  off  after  a  rain  and  the 
road  will  soon  dry.  A  road,  lower  in  the  center,  so 
that  the  water  stands  in  it,  would  score  low.  It 
would  not  be  a  good  road. 

Then,  the  road  bed  should  be  hard  and  without 
any  holes  or  ruts  in  it.  And  the  sides  of  the  road 
should  be  well  kept  up,  —  fences  in  good  repair, 
hedges  trimmed,  weeds  cut,  and  ditches  cleaned  out. 

It  will  help  to  study  all  the  roads  that  you  see  to 
find  out  exactly  what  points  do  go  to  make  up  a 
good  road  and  how  much  these  would  each  count 
on  a  Good  Roads  Score  Card.  Since  so  many 
farmers  have  automobiles,  good  roads  are  of  even 
greater  interest.  But  no  one  who  lives  in  the  coun- 
try can  help  caring  very  much  that  the  roads  should 
be  kept  up. 


2l6 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


If  country  boys  and  girls  get  an  ideal  in  their 
minds  of  the  best  kind  of  road,  they  can  do  much 
to  help  make  all  the  roads  in  the  neighborhood 
come  up  to  that  standard  some  day.  And,  always, 
in  the  standard,  the  highest  ideal  should  be  for 
permanency  in  roads  and  in  culverts  and  in  bridges, 
—  a  highway  that  will  give  the  people  the  best 
service  for  many  years  to  come. 

5.  It  Takes  Pulling  Together  to  Make  Good 
Roads.  —  The    roads    belong    to    the    whole    com- 


Jl  -i 


It  takes  pulling  together  to  make  good  roads. 

munity  and  are  for  the  use  of  every  one.  Laws  about 
dragging  the  roads  and  working  them  help.  State 
aid  and  national  aid  encourage  people  to  make  ad- 
vance. But  nothing  counts  for  so  much  in  the  mak- 
ing of  good   roads  as  the  united  belief  of  a  com- 


WORK  FOR  GOOD   ROADS  217 

munity  in  their  value  and  the  united  eflFort  of  the 
community  to  secure  them. 

It  takes  teamwork  to  get  good  roads.  In  one 
county  the  boys  organized  themselves  into  teams 
for  dragging  the  roads.  Teams  of  from  six  to  ten 
boys  dragged  from  three  to  five  miles  of  road  in  a 
stretch,  each  boy  being  responsible  for  a  half  mile. 
At  the  end  of  each  half  mile  was  a  sign  giving  the 
boy's  name  and  age.  One  of  the  boys  on  the  team 
acted  as  captain. 

These  teams  met  in  the  schoolhouses  and  studied 
about  good  roads.  The  State  Highway  Commis- 
sioner came  down,  bringing  pictures  with  him  and 
diagrams  showing  what  they  should  work  for. 
From  early  in  the  spring,  through  the  summer  and 
until  the  snow  came  in  the  fall,  these  teams  of  boys 
worked  at  dragging  and  keeping  up  their  stretches  of 
road,  trying  to  make  them  reach  their  standard  of 
what  roads  should  be. 

Some  of  them  made  their  stretch  of  road  so  good 
that  automobiles  would  go  miles  out  of  their  way 
to  go  over  them.  When  the  ten  boys  who  had  the 
best  five  miles  of  road  came  up  on  the  platform  at 
the  Farmers'  Institute  to  be  recognized  as  the  boys 
who  had  done  the  best  work,  the  chairman  of  the 
county  board  of  supervisors  said  that  the  boys  of 
that  county  had  done  more  to  make  good  roads  in 
the  county  than  all  the  money  that  had  been  spent 
by  the  county. 


2i8  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

Good  roads  are  possible  in  every  county  and  in  every 
country  neighborhood  when  the  people  are  united  in 
wanting  them  and  are  willing  to  work  for  them. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  What  does  history  teach  about  the  value  of  good  roads  ? 

2.  How  did  Oberlin  start  as  a  leader  of  country  people  ? 

3.  Explain  the  ways  in  which  good  roads  are  of  service  to 
country  people  and  country  communities. 

4.  Do  you  think  it  pays  to  put  in  permanent  roads  ?     Why  ? 

5.  Give  an  illustration  of  the  way  in  which  permanent  roads 
help  in  marketing  crops. 

6.  In  what  way  can  dirt  roads  be  improved  ? 

7.  How  can  information  be  secured  as  to  the  right  way  to 
make  the  split-log  road  drag  and  how  to  use  it  ? 

8.  Explain  fully  what  points  would  be  included  in  a  score 
card  for  roads. 

9.  What  is  the  highest  standard  for  a  good  road  ?  what  things 
beside  the  road  itself  should  be  included  ? 

10.  What  is  the  greatest  force  in  securing  good  roads  ? 

11.  Tell  about  the  boys  who  worked  for  good  roads. 

12.  Why  do  you  think  that  every  one  should  be  interested 
in  keeping  up  the  roads  ? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  chart  of  the  roads  in  your  school  district.  How 
many  miles  of  road  are  there  ?     How  many  bridges  and  culverts  .? 

II.  In  what  ways  do  you  think  that  each  half  mile  of  road  in 
your  district  could  be  improved  .'' 

III.  If  you  had  the  power  to  put  in  new  culverts  and  bridges, 
where  would  you  put  them  in  and  what  kind  would  you  put  in  } 
Why? 


WORK  FOR  GOOD   ROADS  219 

IV,    Make  a  small  model  of  a  good  road  and  a  poor  one, 
'  V.    Make  a  score  card   for   roads,    stating  the  number   of 
points  you  think  should  be  allowed  for  each  thing. 

VI.  What  would  you  do  to  make  the  half  mile  of  road  in 
front  of  your  schoolhouse  come  up  to  your  standard  of  what  a 
road  should  be  .''  to  the  half  mile  of  road  in  front  of  your  home  .? 
Would  it  be  possible  to  do  this  ? 

VII.  What  person  or  persons  are  responsible  for  keeping  up 
the  roads  in  your  school  district  ?  in  your  township  ?  in  your 
county  ? 

VIII.  Where  is  the  best  stretch  of  road  that  you  have  seen 
anywhere  near  your  home  ?     Who  keeps  it  up  and  how  ? 

IX.  What  are  the  laws  in  your  state  about  working  on  the 
roads  .'' 

X.  Write  a  short  article  which  could  be  used  in  a  county 
paper  on  "Why  Country  People  Want  Good  Roads  and  How  to 
Get  Them." 


CHAPTER  XX 

The  Country  Community's  Work  for  Good 
Health 

I.  Good  Health  Is  the  Basis  of  Usefulness  and 
Happiness.  —  No  one  realizes  just  how  important 
health  is  until  it  is  gone,  and  men  and  women  are 
willing  to  take  any  steps  to  recover  it.  People 
depend  upon  health  to  work,  to  play,  to  sleep,  to  eat. 
In  short,  good  health  is  the  basis  for  good  life.  In 
the  absence  of  good  health,  life  loses  some  of  its 
finest  hues. 

The  age  has  been  called  extravagant.  Resources 
are  wasted,  luxury  abounds.  Food,  clothes,  houses, 
and  pleasures  are  used  in  needless  abundance. 
Admit  this  widespread  extravagance  in  all  of  its 
aspects,  and  yet  it  is  probably  fair  to  say  that  there 
is  nothing  of  which  the  American  people  have  been 
so  extravagant  as  they  have  been  of  health.  Young 
and  old  alike  have  vied  with  one  another  to  squander 
health,  to  dissipate  it,  and  to  destroy  it. 

There  has  been  no  lack  of  patronage  for  doctors 
and  druggists.  Medicines  are  consumed  by  the  ton 
and  the  hogshead.  People  have  failed,  not  in 
efforts  to  restore  health,  but  to  conserve  it. 


WORK  FOR  GOOD   HEALTH  221 

The  medicine  chest  is  a  second-hand  remedy. 
It  is  not  called  into  action  until  people  get  sick. 
The  medicine  chest  is  like  a  fire  engine ;  it  is  not 
needed  until  a  fire  is  started.     The  ideal  is  no  fire 


People  depend  upon  health  to  work,  to  play,  to  eat,  to  sleep. 

engine  and  no  medicine  chest.  Neither  can  be  dis- 
pensed with,  however,  until  there  are  no  fires  and 
no  diseases.  That  time  may  be  a  long  way  in  the 
future,  but  it  is  surely  worth  working  for. 

Is  it  possible  to  start   people  working  for  good 
health  ?     Will  men  and  women   try  to  abolish  dis- 


222 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


ease  and  the  cause  of  disease  ? 
be  made  in  unqualified  terms,  — 
actively  engaged  in  the  campaign. 
2.    Health    May   Be    Conserved. 


The    answer  can 
they  are  already 

—  Health    means 


normal  function  or  action.     As  long  as  the  body  acts 


^^ 


'■^^^'■li 


%.. 


Is  it  possible  to  start  people  working  for  good  health  ? 

normally,  it  is  in  health.  While  the  digestive  sys- 
tem, the  respiratory  system,  the  nervous  system, 
the  heart,  and  the  other  vital  organs  do  their  work 
properly,  the  owner  is  scarcely  aware  of  their  pres- 
ence. They  act  as  they  should,  the  body  works 
smoothly,  and  life  goes  on  easily  and  joyfully. 
Health  is  good  as  long  as  the  body  is  normal. 

There  are  many  forms  in  which  ill  health  appears. 
A  child  is  born  with  a  crooked  back  or  a  defective 


WORK  FOR  GOOD  HEALTH 


223 


brain.  All  through  life  the  back  is  ailing  and  the 
mind  and  body  are  weakened.  Such  defects  are 
largely  incurable,  and  also  infrequent.  Ill  health 
comes  with  old  age,  which  is  itself,  according  to  one 
modern  view,  a  form  of  disease.  The  walls  of  the 
arteries  harden,  the  bones  become  brittle,  the  mus- 
cles lose  their  fine 
tone,  the  nerves 
no  longer  respond 
quickly  and  eas- 
ily, consequently 
the  old  person  is 
"  poorly."  Old 
age  is  inevitable. 
A  multitude  of 
other  diseases  are 
not. 

Much  ill  health 
is    the    result    of    I     ^^1^ 
neglect.         Filth,     ^        ^^ 
pollution,  insects, 
and     like    causes 
lead  to  the  propa- 
gation and  circu- 
lation of  a  myriad 
of  tiny  bacilli,  or 
germs.     These  germs,  introduced  under  certain  con- 
ditions into  the  human  system,  make  ill  health. 

A  number  of  lung  diseases  are  typical  germ  dis- 


Vaccination 


prepares     the 
disease. 


system    against 


224 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


eases.  In  pneumonia,  for  example,  the  germs 
gain  a  foothold  in  the  lungs  and  increase  so  rapidly 
in  numbers  that  the  sick  person  is  suffocated  be- 
cause the  normal  amount  of  oxygen  cannot  reach 
the  lung  tissue.  The  germs  of  tuberculosis  destroy 
the  lung  tissue  so  that  it  is  no  longer  useful  for  the 


I^F3>—  ^  ,^?'^ 

1^ 

P^ 

9B^^^^^H^ 

WM 

fc-j*  /< 

£r^ 

^^^^^^^Bt-   *!  < ~^^^MsK^ 

.''t'^^H 

PfJr' 

m        HM^T' '    ^"'iH^HnflK 

i 

A  '~wM'    '--^^^H^H 

In 

ta 

H^CT^^^^B 

1 

1 

111  health  is  often  the  result  of  poor  drainage. 

purpose  of  supplying  the  body  with  oxygen.  The 
remedy  for  such  germ  diseases  is  to  prevent  the  germs 
from  getting  into  the  system  or  else  to  prepare  the 
system  to  resist  them  by  injecting  an  antitoxin. 
Vaccination  is  the  most  widely  known  of  the  methods 
of  preparing  the  system  against  disease. 

Many  diseases   are   serious.     Tuberculosis,   pneu- 
monia,   and    typhoid    may    destroy    life.     Most    ill 


WORK  FOR  GOOD  HEALTH  225 

health  is  due  to  minor  ailments,  —  colds,  headaches, 
and  the  like.  Every  day,  in  the  United  States, 
there  are  many  millions  of  people  suffering  from 
these  minor  ailments.  Sometimes  they  disappear 
in  a  few  days ;  at  other  times,  they  result  in  more 
serious  diseases. 

3.  Science  Works  Wonders  against  Disease.  — 
The  triumphs  of  science  over  disease  are  more 
wonderful  than  those  in  any  other  field,  with  the 
possible  exception  of  mechanics.  Once  disease  was 
regarded  as  an  affliction  sent  upon  men  because 
they  had  committed  sin.  Science,  using  the  micro- 
scope and  the  formulas  of  organic  chemistry,  and 
of  biology,  shows  that  most  disease  is  the  result 
of  developing  microorganisms.  As  time  goes  on, 
the  germs  of  more  and  more  diseases  are  discovered 
and  studied. 

While  disease  was  looked  upon  as  a  punishment 
for  sin,  little  or  nothing  could  be  done  except  to 
try  to  be  good.  If  it  can  be  shown  that  disease  is 
the  result  of  chemical  and  biologic  changes,  the 
prevention  of  disease  becomes  a  matter  of  counter- 
acting these  changes  by  diverting  them  into  some 
harmless  channel. 

The  power  of  science  over  disease  is  well  illus- 
trated in  the  results  of  the  campaign  against  tuber- 
culosis. A  quarter  of  a  century  of  education  in  the 
causes  of  tuberculosis  and  the  methods  of  its  pre- 
vention have  decreased  the  tuberculosis  death  rate 


I 


226  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

to  less  than  half.  As  in  no  other  disease,  perhaps, 
the  control  of  tuberculosis  was  well  within  the  power 
of  the  great  mass  of  people.  Unless  they  helped, 
the  disease  could  not  be  prevented.  With  their 
intelligent  help,  its  control  was  readily  possible. 
Tuberculosis  is  yielding  to  education  and  to  growing 
public  intelligence. 

During  the  past  few  years,  the  government  has 
been  fighting  plague.  The  germs  of  plague  are 
carried  by  rats.  A  ship  from  Asia  anchors  in  an 
American  port ;  the  rats  jump  ashore ;  and  the 
plague  germs  infect  the  rats  on  the  wharves.  From 
there,  the  disease  may  spread  to  the  population. 
The  authorities  have  killed  rats,  cleaned  out  filthy 
places  in  which  rats  bred  and  lived,  and  thus  far, 
practically  prevented  plague.  Had  it  not  been  for 
the  knowledge  that  the  germ  of  plague  is  carried 
by  the  rat,  the  disease  might  have  obtained  a  foot- 
hold in. the  country. 

The  campaigns  against  tuberculosis,  typhoid,  yel- 
low fever,  and  plague  are  aff^airs  that  must  be  worked 
out  on  an  extensive  scale.  The  diseases  against 
which  they  are  directed  are  serious  menaces.  The 
great  work  of  health  conservation  must,  however, 
be  done  by  the  people. 

4.  Health  Conservation  Depends  upon  Public 
Intelligence.  —  Only  as  this  fact  is  made  apparent, 
will  it  be  possible  to  cope  with  ill  health. 

The  necessities  in  the  case  may  be  summed  up  in 


WORK  FOR  GOOD   HEALTH  227 

the  term,  "  sane  living."  Ill  health  is  due  to  care- 
lessness or  ignorance  as  to  the  simplest  rules  of  wise 
living.  If  good  health  is  to  be  insured,  the  means 
necessary  to  insure  good  health  must  be  adopted. 
What  are  these  means }  Broadly  speaking,  they 
are  three.  First,  there  is  cleanliness  ;  second,  wise 
eating ;  and  third,  fresh  air.  Should  the  people  of 
the  United  States  clean  up,  eat  carefully,  and  get 
plenty  of  fresh  air,  half  of  the  doctors  would  be 
forced  to  take  up  some  other  profession. 

Cleanliness,  wise  eating,  and  fresh  air  are  within 
the  reach  of  every  one.  An  individual  cannot  man- 
age a  campaign  against  typhoid  or  malaria.  He 
can  be  sane  in  his  living. 

Many  of  the  minor  ailments  come  from  a  dis- 
ordered digestion.  Headaches  and  colds  are  fre- 
quently due  to  this  cause.  Stop  overeating ;  chew 
your  food  ;  do  not  eat  late  at  night ;  do  not  eat  rich 
foods  ;  eat  regularly  ;  avoid  stimulants  ;  treat  your 
digestion  as  well  as  you  would  treat  a  good  horse 
and  many  of  the  little  troubles  will  disappear. 

The  diseases  of  the  respiratory  system  are  every- 
where, —  colds,  sore  throats,  bronchial  troubles, 
lung  troubles.  Be  sensible  !  Do  not  wait  until  you 
have  tuberculosis.  Keep  in  the  fresh  air !  Sleep 
on  an  open  porch,  if  you  can  ;  open  the  windows 
at  night ;  walk  in  the  air ;  keep  the  living  place  and 
the  work  place  well  ventilated.  Fill  the  lungs  with 
good  oxygen  and  laugh  at  disease. 


228  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

There  is  one  other  element  in  good  health  —  exer- 
cise. The  body  is  a  machine.  It  should  be  used  as 
well  as  kept  in  good  repair.     It  develops  through  use. 

Campaigns  against  disease  depend  on  public 
intelligence.  The  conservation  of  health  is  impos- 
sible when  people   are   ignorant.     Much  of  the   ill 


There  is  one  other  element  in  good  health  —  exercise. 

health  can  be  conquered  by  simple,  individual,  pre- 
ventive measures.  Much  more  of  it  will  yield  to  a 
trained  energetic  public  opinion. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  Why  is  good  health  so  important  ? 

2.  What  can  be  said  of  this  age  ?     Why  ? 

3.  What  is  the  reputation  of  the  American  people  in  regard 
to  health  ? 


WORK   FOR  GOOD  HEALTH  229 

4.  Wherein  have  the  people  failed  regarding  health  ? 

5.  What  do  you  understand  by  the  term  "medicine  chest"  ? 
To  what  may  it  be  compared  ?     What  is  the  ideal  in  this  respect  ? 

6.  What  does  health  mean  ?     Explain  your  answer. 

7.  Make  a  list  of  some  of  the  forms  in  which  ill  health  ap- 
pears. 

8.  Name  some  causes  of  ill  health. 

9.  How  does  pneumonia  affect  the  lungs  ? 

10.  What  is  the  effect  of  tuberculosis  on  the  lung  tissue .? 

11.  Name  two  remedies  for  such  germ  diseases. 

12.  Under  which   heading  does   vaccination   come  ?     Have 
you  been  vaccinated  ? 

13.  What  part  do  minor  ailments  play  in  health  ? 

14.  What  was  the  old  belief  regarding  health  ? 

15.  What  is  the  modern  belief.?     Why  ? 

16.  According  to  the  modern  belief  as  to  the  causes  of  dis- 
eases, what  can  be  done  to  prevent  the  diseases  .'' 

17.  Tell  how  tuberculosis  has  been  controlled. 

18.  Tell  how  plague  has  been  controlled. 

19.  Upon  what  factor  does  the  conservation  of  health  depend  ? 

20.  What  do  you  understand   by  the  term  "sane  living"? 

21.  Name  the  three  means  necessary  to  insure  good  health. 

22.  Name  seven  ways  in  which  many  of  the  minor  troubles 
may  be  stopped. 

23.  Make  a  list  of  some  of  the  diseases  of  the  respiratory 
system. 

24.  What  is  the  remedy  for  these  diseases  ? 

25.  Why  is  exercise  so  essential  in  the  conservation  of  health  ? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.    When  are  you  in  the  best  of  health  .?     Why  ? 
n.    Is  every  one  in  your  family  in  good  health  ?     Explain 
why  or  why  not. 


230  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

III.  Write  a  composition  on  the  advantages  of  good  health. 

IV.  Write  a  letter  to  a  friend  who  is  risking  health,  advising 
against  it. 

V.  Do  you  see  any  way  in  which  the  school  might  improve 
the  health  of  its  pupils  .? 

VI.  Write  a  letter  to  the  school  commissioners  suggesting 
methods  of  improving  the  health  through  the  school. 

VII.  Write  a  letter  to  a  local  doctor,  telling  him  what  you 
think  he  ought  to  do  to  preserve  the  health  of  the  community. 

VIII.  Make  a  list  of  the  advantages  which  come  to  a  com- 
munity because  of  good  health. 

IX.  What  steps  is  your  community  taking  toward  the 
preservation  of  health  .'' 

X.  What  steps  might  be  taken  .? 

XI.  Work  out  a  plan  by  means  of  which  the  local  health 
officer  could  improve  community  health. 

XII.  You  are  responsible  for  the  care  of  a  family  of  young 
children.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  which  you  consider  most 
important  for  the  preservation  of  their  health. 

XIII.  You  are  a  teacher  in  charge  of  a  school  in  your  neigh- 
borhood. What  advice  would  you  give  the  children  regarding 
their  health  .'' 

XIV.  What  are  some  of  the  reasons  for  the  existence  of  a 
state  board  of  health  }  Has  the  state  board  of  health  ever  done 
anything  in  your  community  ? 

XV.  Is  there  anything  which  the  state  board  might  do  to 
improve  the  health  in  your  community  ? 


CHAPTER  XXI 

The  Nation  as  a  Community 

I.  The  Nation  Is  a  Large,  Complex  Community.  — 
It  consists  of  many  people,  doing  many  different 
things  and  living  as  many  different  lives.  Their 
interests,  their  activities,  their  problems  vary  from 
one  part  of  the  nation  to  another.  Nevertheless, 
they  are  all  bound  together  by  common  ties. 

It  is  difficult  to  get  a  good  idea  of  the  nation  as  a 
community.  Each  person  is  apt  to  think  of  the  part 
of  the  nation  in  which  he  belongs  as  the  essential 
part  or  the  important  part,  forgetting  meanwhile 
that  there  are  many  other  communities  in  which 
millions  of  other  people  are  making  and  spending  a 
living.  The  difficulty  of  understanding  the  larger 
relations  of  community  life  is  increased  by  the  fact 
that  most  people  seldom  travel  far  from  the  place 
in  which  they  live  for  the  greater  portion  of  their 
lives. 

People  should  understand  that  the  United  States 
is  one  community.  They  should  realize  the  common 
interests  that  hold  it  together  and  the  common  bonds 
that  exist  among  the  different  sections  and  between 

231 


THE  NATION  AS  A  COMMUNITY        233 

the  different  people.  They  should  feel  their  relation 
to  the  whole  country  because  they  are  citizens  of 
the  nation,  and  the  community  in  which  they  live 
is  an  essential  part  of  the  national  community.  It  is 
not  enough  that  each  citizen  take  an  interest  in  the 
affairs  of  his  immediate  neighborhood.  He  must, 
in  addition,  be  interested  in  the  affairs  of  the  county, 
the  state,  and  the  nation. 

The  United  States  is  a  large  and  very  complex 
community.  It  covers  an  area  of  three  million 
square  miles.  Its  population  in  1910  was  91,972,266. 
It  consisted  of  more  than  fifty  states  and  territories. 
In  1910,  there  were  three  cities  with  over  a  million 
inhabitants  ;  fifty  cities  with  over  a  hundred  thousand 
inhabitants  ;  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty 
cities  with  over  five  thousand  inhabitants  ;  and  two 
thousand  and  two  cities  and  towns  with  more  than 
twenty-five  hundred  inhabitants. 

The  total  mileage  of  American  railroads  in  19 12 
was  258,033.  In  1913,  there  were  58,020  post 
offices,  and  postal  routes  covering  436,293  mile^. 
The  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company  alone  had 
1,562,497  miles  of  wire.  The  American  Telephone 
and  Telegraph  Company  and  the  companies  as- 
sociated with  it  had  14,610,813  miles  of  wire. 
The  Company  reports  4,953,447  subscribers  with 
10,880,321  telephone  instruments.  These  are  but 
a  few  of  the  many  figures  which  indicate  the  extent 
of  American  life. 


234  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

People  are  living  under  the  most  diverse  conditions, 
—  some  of  them  in  cities  and  towns  ;  some  of  them 
in  rural  districts  ;  some  in  the  hot  climate  of  Georgia 
and  Mississippi ;  some  in  the  mountain  ranges  of 
Colorado  and  Idaho. 

2.  The  Citizens  Differ  Widely.  —  There  are  all 
nationalities,  all  types.  Slightly  more  than  half  of 
the  people  in  the  United  States  are  men.  There  are 
io6  males  to  every  loo  females  in  the  population. 
Of  the  people  of  the  United  States  in  1910,  81,731,957 
were  white  and  9,827,763  were  negro.  There  were 
265,683  Indians;  71,531  Chinese;  72,157  Japanese, 
and  of  other  colored  races,  3,175.  Among  the  white 
people  in  the  country,  68,386,412  were  native  born; 
49,488,575  of  native  parents;  12,916,311  of  foreign 
parents,  and  5,981,526  of  mixed  parentage.  Among 
the  white  people  of  the  country,  13,345,545  were 
foreign  born. 

The  people  themselves  differ  in  their  training  and 
in  their  lives.  The  foreign  born  come  from  countries 
which  have  standards  of  living  very  different  from 
those  that  exist  in  the  United  States.  They  have 
been  trained  to  the  use  of  certain  foods,  of  certain 
kinds  of  clothing.  They  are  accustomed  to  living 
in  a  certain  type  of  house,  to  farm  in  certain  ways,  or 
to  working  with  certain  methods.  Their  activities 
in  this  country,  while  differing  necessarily  from  those 
abroad,  take  on  many  of  the  features  which  life 
abroad  develops. 


THE  NATION  AS  A  COMMUNITY        235 

Differences  in  nationality  do  not  make  real  differ- 
ences in  people.  The  man  who  speaks  German, 
French,  or  Swedish  is,  at  bottom,  the  same  kind  of 
man  as  he  who  speaks  English  or  Norwegian. 
National  differences  do  affect  a  man's  life  relations, 
however,  to  such  an  extent  that  they  modify  his 
entire  nature. 

The  ease  with  which  men  from  different  nations 
have  been  assimilated  into  the  population  of  the 
United  States  is  one  of  the  clearest  evidences  of  the 
real  likeness  among  men.  Irishmen,  Germans, 
Englishmen,  Frenchmen,  and  Scotchmen  have 
intermarried,  abandoned  their  native  languages, 
and  become  Americans.  They  are  assimilated  into 
the  American  population.  They  look  at  problems 
from,  an  American  viewpoint  and  work  in  the  inter- 
ests of  America. 

Differences  among  people  are  not  confined  to  the 
people  who  are  born  abroad.  People  born  in  the 
United  States  live  so  differently  and  are  so  differ- 
ently educated  and  trained,  that  they  are  really 
different  people  by  the  time  they  have  grown  up  to 
adulthood.  Many  differences  shape  American  life. 
There  are,  first  of  all,  the  people  who  are  born  and 
brought  up  in  the  city  and  in  the  country.  Country 
living  and  city  living  are  essentially  different  in  the 
effect  which  they  have  upon  men  and  women. 
Again  some  people  are  born  in  poor  homes,  and  some 
in  homes  which  are  well-to-do.     The  differences  of 


236  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

poverty  shape  boys  and  girls  in  one  mold,  while  the 
differences  of  comfort  shape  boys  and  girls  in  an 
essentially  different  one.  The  same  boy  who  is 
useless  and  worthless  as  the  son  of  a  beggar,  born 
into  a  comfortable  house  and  carefully  trained, 
might  change  the  entire  course  of  his  life,  and  act 
in  the  same  way  that  any  other  well-to-do  person 
would  be  expected  to  act! 

3.  People  Earn  Their  Living  in  a  Multitude  of 
Industries  and  Trades.  —  The  census  reports  for 
1910  show  that  there  were  38,167,336  persons  gain- 
fully employed  in  the  United  States.  Of  these 
persons,  30,091,564  were  men  and  the  remaining 
23.4  per  cent  were  women.  These  figures  include 
persons  who  are  working  for  wages  or  some  form  of 
gain.  They  do  not  cover  the  people,  particularly 
the  women  who,  in  their  homes,  care  for  the  other 
members  of  the  family,  cook,  sew,  and  keep  house. 

Among  the  great  army  of  people  gainfully  em- 
ployed at  the  time  of  the  last  census,  33  out  of  every 
hundred  were  at  work  in  agriculture,  forestry,  and 
animal  husbandry ;  28  in  every  hundred  were  at 
work  in  manufacturing  and  mechanical  industries  ; 
10  were  engaged  in  domestic  and  personal  service  ; 
9  were  engaged  in  trade  ;  7  were  engaged  in  trans- 
portation ;  and  the  remainder  were  occupied  in  the 
extraction  of  minerals,  public  service,  clerical  oc- 
cupations, and  professional  service.  The  most  as- 
tonishing thing  about  these  figures  is  the  comparative 


THE  NATION  AS  A  COMMUNITY        237 

largeness  of  the  number  of  persons  engaged  in 
agriculture  and  its  allied  branches  (12,659,203), 
and  the  comparative  smallness  of  the  number  of 
people  in  professional  service  (1,663,569). 

Agriculture,  the  work  of  the  countryside,  employs 
more  people  than  any  other  single  trade  in  the 
United  States.  One  third  of  all  of  the  people  who 
are  at  work  for  gain  in  the  United  States  are  at  work 
in  agriculture.  There  are,  however,  two  thirds  of 
the  gainfully  employed  people  who  are  at  work  in 
other  trades.  Agriculture  is  the  greatest  single 
occupation.  There  are  many  others  which  employ, 
in  the  aggregate,  twice  as  many  people  as  those 
employed  in  agriculture. 

The  result  of  the  activity  of  these  people  is  ex- 
pressed in  the  figures  which  show  the  total  products 
of  American  activity.  There  is,  first  of  all,  the 
foreign  and  domestic  commerce,  the  transportation 
of  goods,  the  carriage  of  passengers,  and  the  trans- 
mission of  messages  from  one  part  of  the  country  to 
another,  and  from  this  to  other  countries. 

In  1910,  there  were  6,361,502  farms  in  the  United 
States.  On  these  farms,  there  were,  in  1913, 
56,527,000  cattle;  20,567,000  horses;  51,482,000 
sheep ;  4,386,000  mules ;  61,178,000  swine.  Some 
of  the  products  of  the  country  in  191 3  were  wool, 
296  million  pounds ;  wheat,  763  million  bushels ; 
corn,  2,447  million  bushels  ;  cotton,  14,594,000  bales  ; 
rice,     715     million     pounds;    sugar,     1,728,000,000 


238  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

pounds.  It  is  more  difficult  to  give  an  idea  of  the  min- 
eral and  timber  products  of  the  country.  They  like- 
wise are  in  the  millions  of  pounds  and  of  tons  and 
their  value  must  amount  to  billions  of  dollars  each 
year. 

4.  People  Spend  Their  Earnings  in  Very  Different 
Ways.  —  The  people  of  the  United  States  work  to- 
gether to  produce  these  results.  The  farmer  in 
North  Dakota  raises  wheat,  and  with  the  money 
which  he  receives  for  it,  buys  hardware  in  Connecti- 
cut. The  cotton  weaver  in  Massachusetts  makes 
cotton  cloth,  and  with  his  wages  buys  Dakota  wheat. 
The  Pennsylvania  coal  miner  eats  meat  packed  in 
Chicago.  The  cotton  growers  of  the  South  buy 
their  agricultural  implements  from  Michigan. 

5.  The  Nation  Is  Tied  Together  by  Common  Inter- 
ests. —  The  differences  in  social  life  and  in  national- 
ity are  more  than  offset  by  the  common  interests 
and  common  advantages  that  are  involved. 

The  country  is  knit  together  in  its  interests.  The 
people  who  live  in  the  cities  depend  on  the  farm. 
The  people  who  live  on  the  farm  buy  many  of  their 
commodities  from  the  manufacturing  town.  The 
farmer,  miner,  manufacturer,  and  banker  join  to- 
gether to  make  the  living  for  all.  The  channels  of 
communication,  —  the  railroads,  telegraphs,  and  tele- 
phones,—  bind  together  activities  of  the  people  in 
the  different  sections  of  the  country. 

There  are  binding  political  ties  which  hold  people 


THE  NATION  AS  A  COMMUNITY        239 

and  communities  together.  The  nation  is  engaged 
in  activities  such  as  the  management  of  interstate 
commerce,  and  of  the  construction  of  irrigation  and 
drainage  projects  that  concern  all  of  the  people,  or 
at  least,  large  sections  of  them.  There  is  a  common 
bond  of  political  feeling  in  the  institutions  of  democ- 
racy, and  common  patriotism  toward  the  national 


An  Irrigation  Dam. 

government  that  has  succeeded  in  holding  together 
the  democratically  governed  states,  and  in  cement- 
ing them  into  a  national  union. 

People  are  bound  together  by  the  ties  of  language, 
by  common  customs,  a  common  system  of  education, 
and  common  methods  of  social  life.  They  think 
and  live  in  similar  ways  and  gain  similar  impressions 
from  their  thinking  and  living.  The  entire  nation 
is  a  unit  tied  together  and  held  together  by  the 


240  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

invisible  economic,  social,  and  political  bonds  which 
unite  individuals  and  communities.  National  in- 
terests are  common  interests,  and  common  interests 
are  national  interests.  Each  citizen  and  each  section 
of  the  country  depend  upon  the  other  citizens  and 
•  the  other  sections  of  the  country  for  its  well-being. 
The  nation  is  a  community  in  the  same  sense  that 
the  locality  in  which  you  live  is  a  community. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  What  do  you  understand  by  "the  nation"  ? 

2.  Why  is  it  difficult  for  some  people  to  understand  the 
larger  relations  which  exist  between  them  and  the  nation  .? 

3.  Give  the  population  and  area  of  the  United  States  at  the 
time  of  the  last  census  (1910). 

4.  Cite  a  few  figures  which  indicate  the  extent  of  American 
life  in  recent  years. 

5.  Do  all  people  live  under  the  same  conditions  ? 

6.  What  per  cent  of  the  population  (1910)  of  the  United 
States  was  white  f   what  per  cent  was  negro  ? 

7.  In  what  respects  do  the  people  of  the  same  race  differ 
from  each  other  ? 

8.  Do  differences  in  nationality  make  any  real  differences  in 
people  ."*     Explain  your  answer  by  illustrations. 

9.  What  do  you  understand  by  "assimilation  into  the  Ameri- 
can population"  ? 

ID.  What  does  the  ease  with  which  men  from  different 
nations  have  been  assimilated  into  our  population  show  ? 

11.  Make  a  list  of  differences  which  shape  American  life. 

12.  What  astonishing  thing  do  you  learn  from  the  figures 
given  by  the  last  census  as  to  the  number  of  people  gainfully 
employed  ? 


THE  NATION  AS  A  COMMUNITY        241 

13.  What  can  be  said  of  agriculture  ? 

14.  Give  several  illustrations  of  how  people  spend  their 
earnings. 

15.  Name  three  ways  that  people  are  bound  together. 
What  ties  hold  and  bind  them  with  the  community  ?  Explain 
your  answer. 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  list  of  the  most  important  ties  that  hold  the 
different  parts  of  the  nation  together. 

II.  Make  a  list  of  all  the  ties  that  hold  together:  (i)  The 
people  of  the  North  and  the  South.  (2)  The  people  of  the 
East  and  the  West.  (3)  The  people  of  Texas  and  Illinois. 
(4)  The  people  of  New  York  and  Illinois.  (5)  The  people  of 
New  York  and  California.  (6)  The  people  of  Iowa  and  Massa- 
chusetts.    (7)  The  people  of  Kansas  and  Illinois. 

III.  What  ties  do  you  think  should  unite  a  nation  .? 

IV.  What  are  the  ties  between  your  community  and : 
(i)  The  nearest  village?  (2)  The  nearest  city?  (3)  The  state 
in  which  you  live  ?     (4)  The  nation  ? 

V.  Write  down  the  names  of  all  of  the  communitites  that 
depend  upon  the  one  in  which  you  live.  Opposite  each  name 
write  a  sentence  telling  in  what  way  each  is  dependent. 

VI.  Suppose  that  the  community  in  which  you  live  were 
wiped  from  the  map;  what  would  be  the  effect  upon:  (i)  The 
nearest  village?  (2)  The  nearest  city?  (3)  The  state?  (4) 
The  nation  ? 

VII.  Write  out  a  list  of  the  ways  in  which  your  community 
is  dependent  upon:  (i)  The  nearest  village.  (2)  The  nearest 
city.     (3)  The  state.     (4)  The  nation. 

VIII.  Take  an  inventory  of  your  own  clothes,  (i)  Where 
do  they  come  from  ?  (2)  Who  has  assisted  in  providing  them 
for  you  ?  (3)  Upon  what  parts  of  the  country  are  you  depen- 
dent for  these  things  ? 


242  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

IX.  Answer  the  above  questions  for  your  food. 

X.  Answer  the  questions  in  Exercise  VIII  for  the  things  in 
the  parlor;  the  things  in  the  kitchen;  the  things  in  your  bed- 
room ;   the  things  in  the  farm  barn. 

XI.  Look  over  ten  random  pages  in  the  catalogue  of  a  mail- 
order house.  From  what  parts  of  the  country  do  the  things 
listed  on  these  pages  come  ? 

XII.  Look  over  one  section  of  the  shelves  in  the  local  grocery 
or  drug  store.     From  what  sections  do  these  things  come  ? 


CHAPTER  XXII 

Managing  National  Affairs 

I.  The  Business  of  the  National  Government 
Seems  Large  and  Complex.  —  When  the  Constitution 
of  the  United  States  was  drawn  up,  the  men  who  were 
responsible  for  it  attempted  to  give  the  national 
government  power  over  all  affairs  of  national  im- 
portance. Therefore,  they  delegated  to  Congress 
the  right  to  control  interstate  commerce  ;  to  collect 
tariffs  and  duties  ;  to  establish  post  offices  and  post 
roads  ;  to  coin  money ;  and  to  carry  on  the  various 
other  activities  which  ordinarily  devolved  upon  a 
central  government. 

Pursuant  to  the  powers  delegated  to  it  by  the 
Constitution,  the  national  government  has  organ- 
ized an  immense  governmental  machine,  employ- 
ing hundreds  of  thousands  of  persons  and  spending 
a  billion  dollars  annually.  The  funds  necessary 
to  carry  on  the  activities  of  the  national  govern- 
ment are  secured  principally  through  tariff  duties 
and  internal  revenue  taxes.  These  are  both  indirect 
methods  of  taxation.  They  are  levied  upon  the 
things  which  people  use,  and  not  upon  the  people 
themselves. 

243 


244 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


The  government  of  the  United  States  was  divided 
into  three  departments,  —  the  legislative,  the  execu- 
tive, and  the  judicial.  The  legislative  department 
makes  the  laws.  The  executive  department  first 
sanctions  these  laws  and  then  enforces  them.     The 


The  Senate  Chamber  in  the  Capitol,  Washington. 

judicial  department  is  charged  with  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  laws. 

Congress,  consisting  of  a  Senate  and  House  of 
Representatives,  enacts  laws.  Both  the  Senators 
and  the  Representatives  come  from  every  part  of 
the  country.  Each  member  of  Congress  represents 
the  community  which  elected  him,  while  at  the  same 
time,  as  a  member  of  the  national  Congress,  he  aims 


MANAGING  NATIONAL  AFFAIRS         245 

to  promote  the  interests  of  the  entire  nation.  For 
example,  a  man  elected  from  Colorado  would  work 
earnestly  to  secure  funds  for  the  erection  of  an  irri- 
gation project  in  his  home  state.  He  would  be 
equally  interested  in  the  building  of  the  Panama 
Canal,  which  would  be  of  only  remote  benefit  to 
his  own  state.  The  former  interest  is  a  local  one, 
peculiar  to  his  community.  The  latter  interest  is  a 
national  one,  from  which  all  of  the  states  will  derive 
more  or  less  benefit. 

The  business  of  Congress  is  carried  on  by  com- 
mittees. Each  member  is  appointed  to  one  or  more 
of  these  committees.  For  example,  a  man  may  be 
placed  on  the  Appropriations  Committee  and  the 
Committee  on  Post  Ofiices  and  Post  Roads.  He 
may  be  made  a  member  on  the  Committee  on  Inter- 
state Commerce  and  the  Committee  on  Indian 
Afi^airs.  When  a  bill  is  introduced  in  Congress  con- 
cerning post  offices  or  Indian  affairs,  it  is  referred 
to  the  committee  on  that  subject.  This  committee 
considers  the  bill,  modifies  it,  if  it  sees  fit,  and  if  it 
so  desires,  reports  it  to  the  House  or  Senate.  After 
the  bill  is  reported  out  of  committee,  it  must  pass 
the  House  and  Senate,  before  it  is  sent  to  the  Presi- 
dent for  his  signature. 

When  the  President  has  signed  a  bill,  it  becomes 
the  law  of  the  land.  Once  the  law  has  taken  efi^ect, 
all  people  are  boiind  by  it.  If  they  feel  that  the  law 
works  an  injustice  on  them,  contrary  to  the  Consti- 


246 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


tution,  they  may  appeal  to  the  United  States  courts, 
which  decide  whether  or  not  the  law  is  constitutional. 
If  the  courts  declare  the  law  unconstitutional,  it 
ceases  to  be  law. 

Within  recent  years,  the  business  of  government 
has    been    greatly    extended    along    administrative 


House  of  Representatives,  Washington. 

lines.  Congress  appropriates  large  sums  to  special 
branches  of  the  government  which  are  directed  to 
do  certain  things  of  public  moment.  For  example, 
the  Agricultural  Department,  with  its  experiment 
stations  and  large  corps  of  assistants,  is  interested 
in  promoting  scientific  agriculture.  The  Depart- 
ment of  Labor  deals  with  problems  affecting  labor 


MANAGING  NATIONAL  AFFAIRS         247 

conditions,  wages,  hours,  safety,  and  the  like.  The 
Department  of  Education  seeks  to  promote  the 
educational  interests  of  the  country.  In  these  and 
many  other  directions,  the  government  is  working 
for  the  welfare  of  the  different  sections  of  the  com- 
munity. 

2.  The  Business  of  the  National  Government  Is 
Really  Quite  Simple.  It  Exists  to  Serve  All  of  the 
People.  —  A  study  of  the  national  government 
leads  to  the  conclusion  that  the  system  is  intricate 
and  complex.  The  machinery  of  the  national  gov- 
ernment is  complex.  Its  purpose  is  simple  and 
direct. 

Difficulties  arise  in  the  interpretation  of  national 
governmental  functions  and  duties.  It  may  seem, 
for  instance,  that  the  imposition  of  a  high  or  a  low 
tariff  results  in  advantages  to  one  part  of  the  com- 
munity and  in  disadvantages  to  another  part.  The 
government  may  seem  to  favor  one  class  in  the 
community  above  another  class.  In  so  far  as  either 
of  these  things  is  true,  the  government  is  failing  to 
live  up  to  its  obligations,  which  are  to  all  of  the 
people. 

A  monarchial  or  despotic  government  is  managed 
in  the  interests  of  a  special  family  or  special  class 
in  the  community.  Democratic  governments  are 
of  the  people.  Their  power  is  derived  from  the 
people,  and  their  business  consists  in  the  rendering 
of  public  service. 


248  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

3.  The  Problems  of  National  Government  Have 
Changed  during  Recent  Years.  —  When  the  gov- 
ernment was  first  organized,  its  duties  seemed  quite 
simple.  It  was  to  coin  money,  regulate  interstate 
commerce,  and  carry  on  the  usual  business  of  gov- 
ernment, which  was,  at  that  time,  largely  political 
in  nature.  The  early  laws  that  were  passed,  the 
early  decisions  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  early 
government  activities  were  carried  forward  along 
political  lines.  The  government  was  a  political 
government   existing  to  serve  political   ends. 

The  government  of  the  United  States  is,  at  the 
present  time,  essentially  economic  and  social.  Its 
political  functions  have  decreased  in  importance 
as  its  economic  and  social  functions  have  increased. 
The  problems  before  the  American  people  have 
changed  so  radically  and  so  fundamentally  that  the 
government,  of  necessity,  changed  in  response  to 
the  changed  popular  needs. 

When  the  Constitution  was  drawn  up  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  the  United 
States  consisted  of  a  few  colonies  scattered  along 
the  Atlantic  seaboard.  The  population  was  small, 
—  scarcely  four  millions  in  all.  These  people,  for 
the  most  part,  lived  in  small  towns  or  villages,  or 
else  on  isolated  farms.  Only  one  person  in  thirty 
lived  in  a  city  of  8000  or  more.  The  city  of  New 
York,  was,  at  that  time,  a  village  with  one  impor- 
tant street,  —  "The  Broadway,"  —  which    extended 


MANAGING  NATIONAL  AFFAIRS         249 

for  a  couple  of  miles  north  and  south  along  Man- 
hattan Island.  Each  farm  produced  things  which 
the  people  on  that  farm  required.  There  was  little 
commerce  or  communication  between  the  villages. 
The  mail  was  carried  two  of  three  times  a  week  by 
post  horses  or  stage  coaches.  Agriculture  was  the 
industry  most  generally  depended  upon.  The  peo- 
ple in  each  community  that  was  remote  from  other 
communities  made  their  living  in  the  pursuit  of 
simple  trades  and  professions. 

The  century  and  a  quarter  which  have  passed 
since  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  have  witnessed 
marked  changes  in  the  character  of  American  in- 
dustry and  of  American  life.  Cities  and  towns 
have  sprung  up,  factories,  mills,  and  shops  have  been 
established,  and  mines  have  been  opened  the  conti- 
nent over.  The  belt  of  seaboard  villages  has  spread 
into  a  nation  of  populated  cities.  Instead  of  four 
millions  of  people,  there  are  one  hundred  millions. 
The  isolation  of  the  eighteenth  century  has  been 
replaced  by  the  rapid  communication  of  the  twen- 
tieth. People  see  more,  learn  more,  travel  more, 
and  come  into  contact  with  a  larger  number  of  ideas 
than  did  their  forefathers.  Each  advance  in  the 
unification  of  scattered  communities  and  in  the 
expansion  of  national  life  has  forced  new  problems 
upon  the  national  government. 

The  political  questions  now  before  the  national 
government  are  very  similar  to  those  which  it  faced 


250  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

in  the  eighteenth  century.  The  economic  and  social 
questions  which  a  century's  growth  has  brought 
about  are  wholly  new  in  the  problems  which  they 
present. 

4.  The  National  Government  Deals  with  Those 
Things  Which  Local  Governments  Are  Unable  to 
Handle.  —  This  rule  was  applied  in  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention,  and  it  can  be  employed  with 
equal  force  in  determining  the  scope  of  Federal 
activity  at  the  present  time. 

The  Constitutional  Convention  delegated  to  the 
national  government  control  over  affairs  of  national 
scope,  and  reserved  to  the  state  government  the 
control  over  aifairs  local  in  their  nature.  The 
reason  for  this  action  is  plain.  The  experiences 
of  the  colonies  under  the  Articles  of  Confederation 
had  persuaded  even  the  enthusiast  that  national  af- 
fairs cannot  be  successfully  dealt  with  by  local 
governments.  The  colonies  had  tried  the  scheme 
and  found  that  it  did  not  work.  Therefore,  in  draft- 
ing the  national  Constitution,  they  determined  to 
place  in  the  hands  of  the  national  government  what- 
ever power  was  necessary  to  enable  it  to  direct 
national  affairs. 

The  scope  of  national  affairs  in  1789  was  much 
more  narrow  than  is  its  scope  in  the  twentieth  cen- 
tury. Progress  has  increased  the  number  of  things 
which  to  be  successfully  managed  must  be  managed 
through  the  exercise  of  some  central  authority. 


MANAGING  NATIONAL  AFFAIRS         251 

Where  communities  are  isolated,  and  while  life 
is  simple,  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  control  local  affairs 
in  each  locality.  As  community  interests  broaden, 
as  specialization  increases,  and  the  complexity  of 
living  grows  greater,  more  and  more  things  must 
be  handled  by  the  national  government. 

Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  Make  a  list  of  the  powers  delegated  to  Congress  by  the 
national  Constitution. 

2.  What  methods  are  used  to  secure  necessary  funds  to  carry 
on  the  government  ? 

3.  Name  the  three  departments  of  the  government  of  the 
United  States,  and  make  a  statement  telling  what  each  one  does. 

4.  Name  the  two  divisions  of  Congress.  How  is  each  com- 
munity represented  in  Congress  ?  Give  an  example  of  the 
ways  in  which  the  members  of  Congress  work  together  for  the 
interests  of  the  entire  nation. 

5.  Explain  how  the  business  of  Congress  is  carried  on  by 
committees. 

6.  How  is  a  law  declared  unconstitutional  ? 

7.  What  does  each  of  the  following  seek  to  do  ?"  (a)  The 
Agricultural  Department,  (b)  The  Department  of  Labor. 
(c)  The  Department  of  Education. 

8.  Contrast  a  monarchial  or  despotic  form  of  government 
with  the  democratic  form  of  government. 

9.  Contrast  the  government  of  the  United  States  in  former 
times  with  the  present  time.  In  what  respects  has  it  changed  ? 
How  do  you  account  for  this  change  ? 

10. «  What  can  be  ^aid  of  the  city  of  New  York  at  the  time 
of  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  .? 

II.    Enumerate  the  changes  in  American  industry  and  Ameri- 


252  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

can  life  which  have  occurred  since  the  adoption  of  the  Con- 
stitution. 

12.  What  led  the  Constitutional  Convention  to  reserve  to  the 
state  affairs  local  in  their  nature  .? 

13.  Make  a  list  of  some  questions  which  could  be  better 
handled  by  the  state  government.  Name  some  which  could 
be  better  handled  by  the  national  government. 

14.  What  three  things  tend  to  give  the  national  government 
a  wider  scope  of  power  ? 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  list,  consisting  of  your  own  state  and  the  states 
bordering  upon  it.  For  each  state,  write  out:  (i)  The  total 
area.  (2)  The  total  population.  (3)  The  number  of  men, 
women,  and  children  in  it.  (4)  The  number  of  cities  of  over 
25,000  population.  (5)  The  number  of  families.  (6)  The 
number  of  farms.     (7)  The  number  of  homes. 

II.  Compare  the  above  facts  with  the  total  for  the  United 
States.  If  you  have  not  these  figures  in  your  school,  write  to  the 
"Director  of  the  Census,  Washington,  D.C."  and  tell  him  what 
you  want.  You  should  also  get,  and  keep  in  your  school,  a 
copy  of  the  "Statistical  Abstract  of  the  United  States,"  which 
can  be  secured  from  the  Department  of  Commerce,  Washington, 
D.C.  This  abstract  contains  all  of  the  leading  facts  about  the 
United  States  and  many  of  those  about  individual  states. 

III.  From  a  copy  of  the  Federal  Constitution,  make  a  list 
of:  (i)  The  powers  and  duties  of  the  President.  (2)  The 
powers  and  duties  of  the  Senate ;  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives. (3)  The  powers  and  duties  of  the  United  States  courts. 
(4)  The  rights  reserved  to  the  states.  (5)  The  rights  of  indi- 
vidual citizens. 

IV.  Make  a  list  of  all  the  occupations  you  know  about. 
(i)  How  many  are  carried  on  in  your  own  community  ?     (2) 


MANAGING  NATIONAL  AFFAIRS         253 

How  many,   carried    on   in  other   communities,    benefit   your 
community  ? 

V.  Do  you  know  of  any  people,  born  outside  of  the  United 
States,  who  have  learned  the  American  spirit  and  become  a 
part  of  the  American  people  ? 

VI.  Do  you  know  any  people  who  have  not  done  this  ? 

VII.  Make  a  list  of  the  ten  things  which  you  consider  most 
important  for  the  successful  conduct  of  national  business. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 
Country  Life  and  National  Life 

I.  The  Country  Furnishes  Some  of  the  Neces- 
saries of  National  Life.  —  Without  the  countryside, 
and  its  industries,  the  nation  would  be  unable  to 
exist. 

The  country  provides  the  food  for  the  nation ; 
the  wheat,  corn,  beef,  mutton,  potatoes,  green 
vegetables,  and  fruit  —  the  great  bulk  of  the  na- 
tion's food  supply  has  its  origin  in  agriculture. 
The  country  feeds  this  nation  as  it  feeds  every  other 
nation  in  the  world.  The  mills  and  factories  change 
the  product  somewhat.  They  turn  wheat  into  flour 
and  bread  ;  corn  into  meal  and  flakes ;  and  meat 
animals  into  a  myriad  of  packing-house  products. 
Nevertheless,  the  provisions  come  from  the  soil  in 
the  first  instance,  as  the  product  of  countryside 
activity. 

The  country  supplies  the  means  for  clothing  the 
nation  as  well  as  the  means  for  feeding  it.  Wool 
clothing  owes  its  origin  to  sheep  farming ;  cotton 
clothing  to  the  cotton  fields.  Although  the  wool 
and    the    cotton    pass    through    many   processes   of 

254 


COUNTRY  LIFE  AND  NATIONAL  LIFE    255 

manufacture,  they  have  their  origin  in  the  country- 
side. 

The  millions  of  men,  women,  and  children  who  are 
at  work  on  the  nation's  farms  produce  the  means  for 
maintaining  national  life.  The  nation  is  fed  and 
clothed  from  the  farm. 

The  countryside,  furthermore,  has  supplied  many 
of  the  great  leaders  of  national  life.     A  goodly  num- 


The  Product  of  Countryside  Activity. 

ber  of  the  men  and  women  who  are  engaged  in  the 
direction  of  public  affairs,  and  in  notable  services 
for  mankind,  were  country  boys  and  country  girls. 
The  countryside  is  always  infusing  fresh  energy  and 
new  life  into  the  city  populations. 

Having  done  so  much  for  the  nation  and  having 
played  such  a  significant  part  in  national  life,  every 
boy  and  girl  who  is  born  in  the  country  should  be 


256  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

proud  of  the  countryside,  and  glad  to  share  in  the 
things  that  it  is  doing  for  the  rest  of  the  nation. 

2.  The  Countryside  Depends  on  National  Mar- 
kets for  its  Prosperity.  —  Although  it  is  of  the 
greatest  importance,  the  countryside  is  far  from 
being  independent.  Indeed,  its  prosperity  rests 
wholly  upon  the  markets  which  it  is  able  to  find 
in  the  cities  and  towns  of  the  nation. 

The  old-time  countryside  was  almost  wholly  inde- 
pendent of  the  remainder  of  the  world.  The  man 
of  the  house  cared  for  the  farm.  The  women  and 
girls  prepared  the  food,  made  the  clothes,  cared  for 
the  house,  and  tended  the  children.  In  his  free 
moments  the  man  made  the  farm  tools  and  kitchen 
utensils.  He  had  built  his  own  house  and  furnished 
it  with  furniture  of  his  own  manufacture.  If  any 
task  was  too  large  for  one  person  to  attempt  alone, 
there  was  a  *'  barn-raising  "  or  a  *'  house-raising," 
when  every  one,  for  miles  around,  joined  to  put  up 
a  barn  or  a  house.  This  countryside  was  inde- 
pendent of  the  remainder  of  the  world,  but  it  was 
also  primitive  in  the  last  degree. 

The  living  of  the  old-time  countryside  was  very 
simple.  Houses,  buildings,  tools,  furniture,  and 
utensils  were  crude.  There  were  few  comforts  or 
luxuries,  but  every  one  had  a  good  share  of  the  neces- 
saries. There  was  little  money.  The  family  made 
what  it  needed,  sold  little,   and  spent  little. 

The    modern    countryside    is    not    self-sustaining. 


COUNTRY  LIFE  AND  NATIONAL  LIFE    257 

It  depends  for  its  income  upon  the  products  which 
it  sells  to  the  folk  in  cities  and  towns.  With  the 
money  which  is  secured  in  exchange  for  crops,  the 
people  of  the  countryside  buy  the  things  which  the 
factories,  mills,  and  mines  have  made  for  their  use. 


Each  country  community  is  producing  things  for  some  city  market. 

Each  country  community  is  producing  things  for 
some  city  or  town  market.  The  wheat,  the  butter 
and  eggs,  the  milk,  the  truck,  the  lambs,  the  poultry, 
the  apples,  peaches,  and  the  grapes  that  are  raised 
on  the  farm  are  placed  on  the  freight  car  and  sent  by 
train  or  trolley  in  the  direction  of  a  city  market. 

The  up-to-date  farmer  not  only  sends  things  to 


258  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

market,  but  he  examines  the  market  reports  in  the 
daily  papers,  studies  the  figures  in  his  weekly  and 
monthly  magazines,  and  sends  his  produce  to  the 
best  market.  He  strives  to  get  the  best  return  for 
the  things  he  has  to  sell. 

The  town  and  city  dwellers  depend  on  the  prod- 
ucts from  the  country.  They  buy  eggs,  milk, 
flour,  beef,  and  potatoes.  It  is  their  wants  and 
their  demands  that  make  the  city  markets.  The 
city  markets  are  opportunities  which  the  farmer 
has  of  disposing  of  his  produce.  If  there  were  no 
farmers,  raising  food  for  sale,  there  could  be  no  cities. 
The  people  would  starve  there.  If  there  were  no 
town  and  city  markets,  the  countryside  would  be 
forced  to  depend  upon  itself  for  all  of  the  things 
which  it  needs.  City  and  country  each  gains  by 
the  presence  of  the  other. 

3.  The  Countryside  Depends  upon  the  City  for 
Tools,  Utensils,  Magazines,  Books,  and  Many  Com- 
forts and  Luxuries.  —  In  reality,  the  countryside 
is  as  dependent  on  the  city  as  the  city  is  on  the 
countryside. 

Country  people  and  city  people  alike  have  learned 
to  want  more  things.  Their  activities  were  satis- 
fied with  a  few  simple  necessaries  of  life.  They  are 
now  reaching  out  in  all  directions  for  the  comforts 
and  luxuries.  The  secret  of  securing  the  things 
which  constitute  the  bulk  of  these  comforts  and 
luxuries  lies  in  specialization  and  exchange.     Each 


COUNTRY  LIFE  AND  NATIONAL  LIFE    259 


person  must  carry  on  efficiently  the  task  which  falls 
to  his  lot.  The  products  of  his  task  must  then  be 
given  to  others  in  exchange  for  the  products  of  the 
tasks  in  which  those  others  have  been  engaged. 

The  Iowa  farmer  grows  corn.  He  does  not  and 
cannot  live  on  corn  alone.  On  the  contrary,  he 
expects  to  have  many 
other  things  in  his 
house,  on  his  farm,  and 
for  his  personal  com- 
fort and  convenience. 
The  other  things  which 
he  desires  are  secured 
through  the  sale  of  his 
corn  for  money,  which 
he  can  use  in  pur- 
chasing the  products 
of  factories  and  mills 
in  other  parts  of  the 
country. 


a  few   cases    he    and    his    family 
make  tools,  utensils,  etc. 


The  modern  farmer  secures  from  cities  and  towns 
most  of  the  things  which  he  uses.  He  grows  some 
of  his  food  on  the  farm.  In  a  few  cases  he  and  his 
family  make  tools,  utensils,  and  some  of  the  simpler 
forms  of  clothing.  Most  of  the  farm  tools,  how- 
ever, come  from  an  implement  factory ;  most  of  the 
utensils  in  the  kitchen  come  from  a  hardware  store. 
Practically  all  of  the  clothes  and  a  larger  and  larger 
proportion  of  the  food  are  factory  products.     The 


26o  COMMUNITY  CIVICS 

farmer's  clothing  is  made  up  of  cotton  grown  in  his 
own  neighborhood.  Perhaps  it  is  shipped  to  New 
England  and  returned  to  him  in  the  form  of  cotton 
cloth.  The  meat  which  he  eats  may  have  been 
grown  on  his  own  farm,  shipped  to  Chicago  or  St. 
Louis,  and  returned  to  the  local  butcher  in  the 
form  of  dressed  beef  or  pork.  The  comforts  of  life, 
—  the  books,  magazines,  phonographs,  newspapers, 
carpets,  curtains,  china,  and  the  like,  —  are  all  made 
away  from  the  farm.  In  short,  the  life  of  the 
countryside  to-day  is  built  upon  the  products  of 
countryside  activity.  This  activity,  however,  is 
devoted  to  specialized  industries,  the  products  of 
which  may  be  exchanged  for  the  products  of  other 
like  specialized  industries  located  in  all  parts  of  the 
world. 

4.  The  Large  Interests  of  the  Countryside  and 
the  City  Are  Common  Interests.  —  At  times,  and  on 
particular  issues,  it  may  seem  that  the  interests 
of  the  two  sections  are  in  conflict.  Indeed,  they 
may  conflict  in  a  narrow  sense.  In  the  long  run, 
however,  the  prosperity  of  the  city  is  tied  up  with 
the  prosperity  of  the  country  in  exactly  the  same 
sense  that  the  prosperity  of  the  country  depends 
upon  city  prosperity.  Men  might  possibly  go  back- 
ward to  a  time  when  each  family,  by  its  utmost 
efforts,  could  supply  itself  with  the  bare  necessaries 
of  life  —  food,  clothing,  and  shelter.  Our  fore- 
fathers  knew   such   a   time.     Their   struggles   were 


COUNTRY  LIFE  AND  NATIONAL  LIFE    261 

struggles  for  these  simple  necessaries.  We  in  these 
modern  times  have  learned  what  immense  advan- 
tages may  be  secured  by  the  cooperation  of  different 
portions  of  the  community.  One  man,  making 
locomotives  ;  another,  laying  tracks  ;  another,  rais- 
ing wheat ;  another,  manufacturing  hardware  ;  an- 
other, managing  the  post  offices  ;  another,  control- 
ling the  bank,  may,  by  working  in  unison,  secure  for 
every  one  more  of  the  necessaries  and  many  of  the 
comforts  of  life  which  were  entirely  denied  to  the 
people  who  work,  each  man  for  himself,  in  unspe- 
cialized  industry. 

The  countryside  needs  the  city  and  the  town  for 
markets  and  for  factory  products.  The  city  and 
the  town  need  the  countryside  for  food  and  for 
the  raw  materials  from  which  clothing  is  made. 
The  interests  of  each  section  are  best  secured  when 
the  welfare  of  all  sections  is  guaranteed. 

5.  All  Sections  of  the  Country  Must  Stand  To- 
gether for  National  Interests.  —  There  is  a  time  in 
political  and  economic  activity  when  it  is  impor- 
tant to  work  for  local  interests.  At  such  a  time,  each 
man  will  be  actively  engaged  in  an  attempt  to  do 
everything  that  he  can  for  his  locality.  When  larger 
issues  arise,  only  one  course  of  action  is  open.  All 
individuals  and  all  communities  must  work  in  uni- 
son for  the  common  good  of  all. 

The  conditions  which  demand  this  common  action 
for  the  common  good  are  not  confined  to  war  times. 


262 


COMMUNITY  CIVICS 


They  exist  at  all  times.  At  the  present  moment, 
for  example,  the  question  of  the  position  of  rail- 
roads, trolley  lines  and  telephone,  telegraph,  and 
express  companies  is  an  issue  of  the  most  supreme 
national   importance.     No  one  community  and  no 


Local  Spirit. 

one  state  can  decide  the  issue.  It  must  be  settled 
nationally  or  not  at  all.  The  questions  of  a  reform 
in  the  currency  system,  of  a  regulation  of  the  tariff, 
and  of  a  control  of  the  trusts  are  in  like  case.  They 
depend  for  their  solution  upon  national  action. 

Local   spirit    is    important.     Local    spirit    is   vital 
to  the  development  of  any  community.     National 


COUNTRY  LIFE  AND  NATIONAL  LIFE    263 

spirit  is  essential  to  the  continuance  of  any  nation. 
The  highest  type  of  citizen  is  he  who  is  loyal  to  his 
community  in  local  issues,  and  to  the  nation  in  the 
larger  affairs  of  national  life. 


Questions  for  Study  and  Review 

1.  Make  a  list  of  the  foods  which  the  country  supplies  to  the 
nation.  What  articles  are  raised  on  your  farm  that  are  shipped 
to  the  nation's  markets  ? 

2.  Name  some  reasons  why  the  country  is  indispensable  to 
national  life.     Had  you  ever  thought  of  these  things  before  ? 

3.  Why  should  we  be  proud  of  the  countryside  ? 

4.  In  what  respects  is  the  mode  of  living  on  the  modern 
country  farm  different  from  the  mode  of  living  on  the  old-time 
farm  ? 

5.  What  forces  have  been  at  work  to  bring  these  changes 
about  ? 

6.  If  there  were  no  farmers  raising  food  for  sale,  what  would 
be  the  outcome  ? 

7.  Suppose  there  were  no  markets  for  the  food  raised  in  the 
countryside,  what  would  happen  to  the  nation  ?  What  effect 
would  it  have  on  the  countryside  ? 

8.  What  is  your  conclusion  regarding  the  relative  position 
of  city  and  country  ? 

9.  Why  is  it  that  now  the  countryside  is  as  dependent  on  the 
city  as  the  city  is  on  the  countryside  ? 

10.  What  do  you  understand  by  "specialization"  and 
"exchange"  as  used  here?  Can  you  think  of  any  illustra- 
tions ? 

11.  Explain  how  cooperation  of  different  portions  of  the 
community  plays  such  an  important  part  in  securing  greater 
advantages  for  all. 


264  COMMUNITY   CIVICS 

12.  What  do  you  understand  by  "common  action  for  the 
common  good"  ? 

13.  Explain  what  is  meant  by  "local  spirit."     Why  is  it 


important 


14.  What  is  meant  by  "national  spirit"?  Why  is  it 
important .'' 

Exercises  for  Investigation  and  Discussion 

I.  Make  a  list  of  the  principal  things  that  the  countryside 
does  for  the  nation. 

II.  Read  the  advertisements  in  your  local  paper,  (i) 
Classify  them  according  to  the  things  to  which  they  refer. 
(2)  Do  these  various  things  represent  service  from  countryside 
to  nation  or  nation  to  countryside  ?  (3)  Why  was  each  kind  of 
advertisement  inserted  in  your  local  paper  ? 

III.  Analyze  the  articles  which  appear  in  your  local  paper. 
Do  they  relate  to  the  things  of  your  immediate  community  or 
to  the  things  of  the  nation  ? 

IV.  Analyze  the  articles  in  a  paper  from  the  nearest  large 
city.     To  what  things  do  these  articles  refer  ? 

V.  Study  the  advertisements  in  the  same  paper.  Analyze 
them  as  you  did  in  the  case  of  your  local  paper. 

VI.  Analyze  the  advertisements  in  any  one  of  the  leading 
magazines,  (i)  What  classes  of  subjects  are  advertised  ? 
(2)  In  what  respects  do  they  differ  from  those  of  your  own  local 
paper  and  those  in  the  city  paper  ?  (3)  Can  you  explain  the 
reasons  for  the  differences  .? 

VII.  What  kind  of  things  are  advertised  on  billboards  and 
by  posters  through  the  countryside  ? 

VIII.  Think  over  these  various  classes  of  advertisements  and 
the  things  which  they  represent,  (i)  Are  they  intended  to 
emphasize  country  life  or  the  country  community.'*  (2)  Are 
the  products  which  appear  in  these  advertisements  farm  prod- 


COUNTRY  LIFE  AND  NATIONAL   LIFE     265 

ucts  or  factory  products  ?  (3)  Do  these  advertisements  point 
to  the  countryside  or  to  the  city  ?  (4)  If  you  could  choose 
the  kind  of  advertisements  which  should  appear  in  your  local 
paper  or  in  the  magazines,  what  would  you  choose  to  advertise  ? 

IX.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  in  your  own  room.     Are  you 
dependent  for  them  upon  the  country  or  the  city  ? 

X.  Name  all  the  ways  you  can  think  of  in  which  the  country 
helps  to  support  the  city. 

XL    Name  all  the  ways  you  can  think  of  in  which  the  city 
helps  to  support  the  country. 

XII.  Give  your  reasons  for  thinking  that  the  country  is  more 
important  to  national  life  than  the  city. 

XIII.  Give  your  reasons  for  believing  that  the  city  is  more 
important  to  national  life  than  the  country. 

XIV.  Make  a  list  of  the  ways  in  which  the  country  could 
make  a  greater  contribution  to  national  life. 

XV.  Name  the  ways   in  which  the  nation  could   make  a 
greater  contribution  to  country  life. 


INDEX 


Agriculture  as  an  industry,  236. 

Beautifying  the  school  home,  96. 
Better  living,  as  an  ideal,  26;  ways  to, 

27. 
Books  and  country  life,  106. 
Books,  as  friends,  103  ;   kind  of,  103. 
Boosters,  advantage  of,  116. 
Boys'  and  girls'  clubs,  124. 
Buildings,   location   of,   43 ;    planning 

for,  46;    purpose  of,  46. 
Buildings  and  home  making,  43. 

Chores,  and  country  life,  36;  value  of. 

Citizenship,  importance  of,  151;  in 
U.  S.,  234;  responsibiUties  of,  152, 
158;    types  of,  235. 

Citizenship  and  community  life,  158. 

Citizenship  and  country  life,  151. 

Citizenship  and  country  problems,  156. 

Citizenship  and  democracy,  157. 

Citizenship  and  equal  suffrage,  157. 

City,  dependence  of,  on  the  country- 
side, 258. 

Climate,  an  element  in  production, 
190. 

Clubs,  value  of,  124. 

Common  good,  cooperation  for  the, 
261. 

Community  education  and  the  school, 
156. 

Community  gatherings  in  schools,  134. 

Community  leadership,  159. 

Community  life,  meaning  of,  153 ; 
place  of  schools  in,  131 ;  schools  as 
centers  for,  133  ;  ties  of,  238. 


Community  life  and  consolidated 
schools,  84. 

Community  life  and  increased  produc- 
tion, 195. 

Community  life  and  politics,  152. 

Community  life  and  the  nation,  231. 

Community  officials,  duties  of,  168. 

Community  service,  objects  of,  169; 
quaHfications  for,  169. 

Community  service  and  leadership, 
168. 

Community  spirit  and  consolidated 
schools,  84. 

Comradeship,  in  the  home,  69;  of 
parents  and  children,  72. 

Comradeship  and  authority,  70. 

Congress,  business  of,  245. 

Consolidated  school,  activities  of,  85. 

Consolidated  schools  and  neighbor- 
hood life,  83. 

Continuation  schools,  135. 

Cooperation,  benefits  of,  205 ;  in  buy- 
ing, 26;  in  marketing,  25;  in  the 
home,  73  ;  loyalty  as  an  element  in, 
201 ;  spirit  of,  and  country  life,  15 ; 
success  of,  203. 

Cooperation  and  community  problems, 
202. 

Cooperations  and  country  institu- 
tions,  19. 

Cooperation  and  good  roads,  217. 

Cooperation  and  the  community,  199. 

Country  creed,  206. 

Country  efficiency,  importance  of,  184. 

Country  home,  31. 

Country  institutions,  growing  power 
of,  18. 


267 


268 


INDEX 


Country  life,  a  source  of  knowledge, 
3  ;  benefits  from,  177 ;  books  about, 
106;  dangers  to,  17;  education  for, 
147 ;  future  of,  7 ;  ideals  of,  22 ; 
importance  of  good  health  in,.  220; 
importance  of  good  roads  in,  211; 
institutions  of,  12;  lessons  of,  i; 
literature  of,  106;  loyalty  and,  4; 
mission  of,  180;  national  impor- 
tance of,  176;  need  of  leaders  in,  5  ; 
new  spirit  in,  28 ;  new,  and  its  insti- 
tutions, 12;  opportunities  of,  i; 
playmates,   34,   35;    spirit  of,    179; 

Country  life  and  character,  179. 

Country  life  and  citizenship,  151. 

Country  life  and  family  life,  39. 

Country  life  and  leadership,  5,  178. 

Country  life  and  national  life,  254. 

Country  life  and  neighborliness,  2. 

Country  life  and  school  work,  127. 

Country  life  and  the  school,  155. 

Country  life  movement,  153. 

Country  people  and  institutions,  13. 

Country  schools  and  country  life,  126. 

Country  schools  as  community  centers, 

133- 
Countryside,    planning    of,    and    the 

home,  54. 
Countryside    prosperity   and    national 

markets,  256. 
Country   work,    general   character   of, 

179. 
Creed  of  a  country  girl,  207. 
Crop  rotation,  importance  of,  186. 
Current     events     and      the      country 

school,   130. 

Democracy,  meaning  of,  157. 
Democracy    and    the    family    council. 

Disease,  science  and,  225. 

Domestic    efficiency    in    the    country 

home,   52. 
Domestic  science  in  country  schools, 

130. 


Education,   as   a  preparation   for  life, 

142  ;    for  efficiency,  144. 
Education  and  country  living,  146. 
Education  and  drudgery,  143. 
Efficiency,  in  the  country  house,  50; 

opportunities  for,  in  country  life,  24; 

through  education,    144. 
Experts  as  community  officials,  165. 

Faith  in  the  country,  value  of,  205. 
Family  life  and  community  life,  33. 
Family  life  and  the  home,  58. 
Family  life  in  the  country,  38. 
Family  loyalty  and  comradeship,  69. 
Family  ties  and  home  spirit,  68. 
Farm  buildings,  location  of,  45. 
Farm  journals,  value  of,  107. 
Farm    management,    cooperation    in, 

204. 
Farms  as  work  places,  36. 
Fellowship  in  the  home,  67. 
Fertility,  conservation  of,  184. 
Futures  in  country  life,  8. 

Games,  importance  of,  for  all,  115; 
teamwork  through,  114. 

Games  and  sports  in  the  country,  16. 

Good  books,  means  of  securing,  104. 

Good  books  and  the  school,  103. 

Good  health,  prevention  and,  221 ; 
road  to,  228. 

Good  health  and  country  life,  220. 

Good  reading,  lessons  from,  108. 

Good  roads,  as  a  community  invest- 
ment, 212;  cooperation  for,  216; 
effects  of,  211;  factors  in,  215; 
importance  of,  211;  standards  for, 
215. 

Government,  community  officials,  163. 

Government,  functions  of,  247;  prob- 
lems of,  248  ;    purpose,  168. 

Health,  community  work  for,  222 ; 
conservation  of,  222 ;  importance 
of,  178;   methods  of  preserving,  227. 


INDEX 


269 


Health  and  home,  59. 

Health  and  the  water  supply,  224. 

Health  conservation  and  public  intel- 
ligence, 226. 

Health  officers,  duties  of,  166. 

Helping  in  the  home,  73. 

Home,  as  a  center  of  family  life,  58 ; 
as  a  living  place,  32;  as  a  play 
place,  34;   importance  of,  31. 

Home  and  habit  forming,  32. 

Home  and  neighborhood  life,  82. 

Home  and  neighborliness,  80. 

Home  and  the  countryside,  54. 

Home  and  the  neighborhood,  77. 

Home  and  the  story  hour,  60. 

Home  cooperation,  73. 

Home  making,  art  of,  42 ;  business  of, 
42. 

Home  reading  circle,  62. 

Home  spirit,  62 ;  as  an  asset,  67 ;  in 
the  school,  90. 

Home  spirit  and  family  ties,  68. 

Home  spirit  and  the  family  council, 
62. 

Homes,  surroundings  of,  44. 

Home  work,  training  through,  38. 

House,  planning  of  .the,  50. 

Hygiene  and  the  school,  95. 

Ideals,  better  living,  26 ;  better  stand- 
ards of  business,  24;  greater  effi- 
ciency, 23 ;  of  country  life,  22 ; 
value  of,  22. 

Ideals  and  country  life  spirit,  28. 

Ill  health,  forms  of,  222. 

Increased  production,  importance  to 
the  community,  194. 

Industries,  types  of,  236. 

Institutions  and  country  people,  13. 

Institutions  of  country  life,  12. 

Inventions  and  country  life,  7. 

Landscape  gardening  in  school  yard,  97. 
Leadership,  need  of  experts  for,   165  ; 
need  of,  in  country  life,  5. 


Leadership  and  community  life,  159. 
Leadership  and  the  booster,  118. 
Leadership  and  the  neighborhood,  6. 
Legislation,  method  of  passing,  245. 
Libraries  in  the  home,  109. 
Livelihood,  methods  of  securing,  236. 
Loyalty,  value  of,  15. 
Loyalty  and  community  life,  199. 
Loyalty  and  cooperation,  201. 
Loyalty  and  country  life,  4. 

Machinery,  effects  of,  7,  8. 

Magazines,  value  of,  107. 

Manual   training   in   country   schools, 

129. 
Marketing,  importance  of,  24. 

National  business,  character  of,  243. 
National  government,  departments  of, 

244 ;   exists  for  service,  247 ;   sphere 

of,  250;  work  of,  243. 
National    life,    cooperation    for,    261 ; 

depends  on  the  countryside,  254. 
Nations  as  communities,  231. 
Neighborhood  and  the  home,  77. 
Neighborhood  life,  stimulus  for,  82. 
Neighborhood  life  and  the  home,  82. 
Neighborliness,    in    the    country,    2 ; 

methods  of,  80. 
Neighborliness  and  community  life,  86. 

Officers,  duties  of,  170. 

Officers  in  a  country  community,  163. 

Opportunities  of  country  life,  i. 

Patriotism,  beginnings  of,  199. 

Plant  food,  value  of,  186. 

Play,  importance  of,  34;  in  the  coun- 
try home,  34. 

Playmates  and  country  life,  35. 

Politics  and  community  life,  152. 

Production,  cooperation  in,  204;  ele- 
ments in,  190;    ideals  of,  188. 

Productivity,  standards  of,  189. 

Public  health,  conservation  of,  226. 


270 


INDEX 


Reading  and  good  books,  103. 
Reading  circle  in  the  home,  62. 
Reading  with  a  purpose,  108. 
Roads,  methods  of  improving,  213. 
Rotation  of  crops,  reasons  for,  187. 

School  and  community,  124. 

School  and  team  work,  113. 

School  as  a  home,  90. 

School  directors,  women  as,  165. 

School  gardens,  education  from,  98. 

School  gardens  and  the  school,  98. 

School  help  for  farms,  132. 

School  home,  beauty  and  the,  96; 
cooperative  work  for,  93  ;  improve- 
ment of,  93. 

School  home  and  cleanliness,  94. 

School  hygiene,  95. 

School  libraries,  134. 

School  lunches  and  fellowship,  91. 

School  sanitation,  93. 

Schools,  as  social  centers,  154;  rela- 
tion to  farm  and  home,  124. 

Schools  prepare  for  life,  141. 

School  ventilation,  94. 

School  work  and  community  life,  145. 

School  work  and  life  work,  141. 

Science,  effects  of,  on  disease,  225. 

Seed,  importance  of,  191. 

Seed  testing,  191. 

Social  activities,  consolidated  school, 
85. 

Social  center  bond,  in  the  home,  14; 
in  the  school,  14. 


Soil  conservation,  importance  of,  184. 
Spending  and  community  life,  238. 
Standards  of  productivity,  189. 
Story  hour,  value  of  a,  60. 

Team  work,  for  the  school,  120;  value 

of,  114. 
Team  work  and  fellow  feeling,  119. 
Team  work  and  play,  114. 
Team  work  and  the  school,  113. 
The  country  neighborhood,  2. 
The  countryside  and  national  markets, 

256. 
The  countryside  and  the  city,  258. 
The  countryside    and    the    consumer, 

176. 
The  countryside  and  the  food  supply, 

174. 
The  school  as  the  center,  136. 
Transportation  systems,  U.  S.,  233. 

United  States,  citizenship  in,  234. 
United    States,    common    interests   in, 

238. 
Utilizing  waste  land,  193. 

Ventilation  and  the  school,  94. 

Waste  land,  elimination  of,  193. 
Water  supply,  importance  of,  48. 
Water  supply,   safe   guarding  of,   47; 

selection  of,  47. 
Water  supply  and  health,  224. 
Work,  value  of  education  for,  142. 


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T 


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City,  State,  and  Nation 

By  WILLIAM  L.   NIDA 

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Author  of  "  The  Dawn  of  American  History  in  Europe  " 

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A  Short  History  of  the  United  States 

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The  Health  Series  of  Physiology 
and  Hygiene 

By  M.  V.  O'SHEA 

Professor  of  Education,  University  of  Wisconsin ;  Author  of  "  Dynamic 
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remarkable  thing  in  nature,  in  the  variety  and  delicacy  of  its  action  and  in  the 
marvellous  adaptation  of  its  parts  and  functions.  It  presents  knowledge  with 
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in  modern  life  which  reduce  the  vitality  and  the  health  of  people.  It  is  a  force- 
ful and  constructive  treatment  of  health. 


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